Adaptive Reuse from Atrium to Roof Pitch

Step inside Kastner & Öhler at Sackstraße 7–13 to witness a masterclass in modern adaptive reuse. Founded in 1873, the firm moved to this location in 1883 and unveiled its magnificent Great Hall in 1913, designed by Fellner & Helmer—the renowned architects behind the Graz Opera House. Look up in the central atrium to take in the gilded stucco galleries, grand balconies, and soaring glass dome. Then take the escalator up to the roof to experience a radical contrast. In 2010, Spanish architecture practice Nieto Sobejano reinterpreted Graz's historic sea of red-tiled roof pitches into a contemporary geometric roof landscape, crowned by the glass-encased 'Freiblick' public viewpoint terrace. Notice how the modern angular roof form respects the traditional townscape while introducing cutting-edge structural design. (Keep in mind that internal access to the atrium and terrace depends on store opening hours). By seamlessly bridging early 20th-century department store luxury with 21st-century architectural geometry, Kastner & Öhler demonstrates how historic retail hubs can evolve without losing their physical heritage.