Although we are all in constant digital contact, there is still often a feeling of loneliness. How nice it would be to have a place where I can be myself, be with people, be for myself. A place that opens up qualitative spaces that can be filled by the people of Linz to their heart‘s content. An open structure that invites people to sit down and join in.

While Linz‘s Südbahnhof market is characterized by movement and trade, an opposite pole is forming next to it: a place of interaction, of pausing, of independent creation.

urban context
In terms of urban planning, the design takes on a clear, linear form and creates a spatial filter between the decelerated street space and the market square.

space - air - light
The concept is based on three essential filter layers that differentiate the space and subtly balance openness and protection.
The spatial filter is created by the zoning of the building: pods structure the floor plan and define protected recreational areas.
The air filter is designed as a green band along the market hall - dense vegetation reduces urban heat, traps fine dust and creates a pleasant microclimate.
The light filter, a multi-layered roof structure, transforms sunlight into a soft, diffuse atmosphere: an interplay of slats, translucent glass panels and movable mesh elements reacts to weather conditions and times of day, creates a sense of security and defines the sensual quality of the space.
These three filters act as adaptive, integrative elements that enliven the space and create sustainable, climatically sophisticated architecture.

atmosphere
The spatial experience is characterized by a subtle interplay of light, proportion and material. Upon entering, the view opens up, the light is refracted by the overlapping roof construction and creates a spatial effect that changes depending on the time of day. Open areas allow movement and interaction, while sheltered niches offer opportunities for retreat. A gallery level expands the spatial spectrum and reinforces the feeling of a lively, vertically layered place.

The structure is kept permeable, but creates a threshold between the public square and the street. Massive, load-bearing elements made of recycled reinforced concrete give rhythm to the space and define varied qualities with height shifts and offsets. The rooms, made of wood, are shaped between this solid structure and create an atmosphere of warmth and lightness. The roof is more than just a structural element. It filters light, concentrates the expanse of the sky and translates it into a protected but lively space. Inspired by Sverre Fehn's Nordic Pavilion, the crosswise arrangement of the concrete slats transforms the sunlight into a soft, diffuse light and creates a changeable, permeable spatial quality. This roof gives the city a new place to come together - open, permeable, lively.