Horst Lechner und Lukas Ployer

Flussraum Salzach - Transformation zur Lebensader    
 

Is it possible for a young recent graduate of an Austrian arts university to change the history of Salzburg? Are the inhabitants of the city prepared to make new discoveries along the Salzach river?Does the scene want an architecture initiative that provides a platform for the sparks of change? Architects are reality’s pathfinders. They learn to observe, to see and to interpret. Images are created in the mind or, as Rem Koolhaas masterfully shows us, scripts of future scenarios that can trigger new desire. The diploma project “The Salzach River – Transformation of a Lifeline”, as the authors say, lays a foundation for a life’s work. When someone so young is so passionately dedicated to a theme, one can say that the authors have made the Salzach their mission. Architects are narrators of fairytales that tell of a better future. They learn how to show their visions and how to communicate with the community. The exhibition “The Salzach River – Transformation of a Lifeline” made an impression on the tabloids, the professional world and politicians. In today’s world, when one consistently pursues the branding of one’s project, there is a chance the right stakeholders will jump on the opportunity. Not bad. However, since one belongs to a generation of dreaming pragmatics, one knows that this is still too little. It is not about personal fame, but about the quality of life of the inhabitants of a city. Architects are the Argonauts of fantasy worlds. They learn to master multi-faceted forms of communication, so that in rare cases they become collective achievements.The new media and the open society suggest that the belief in miracles comes from encouraging interaction and activism. We talk about how identifying a need can lead to a fundamental right of the men and women of Salzburg: the right to their lifeline in the city. Not many, but some modern examples allow the idea that through the power of the masses, a better life in the city, beyond consumption and tourism, can be built. 

This project was awarded Salzburg’s State Architecture Scholarship Prize in 2018.

(Laura P. Spinadel).