The organisation of European handball entered a new era on 15 December 2024, with the European Handball Federation, the sport’s continental governing body, opening its new headquarters in Vienna.

The Austrian capital has been the federation’s residence since 1992. The new ‘European Handball House’ in Neu Marx in Vienna’s third district opened officially on 15 December, with more than 400 guests attending as part of the final weekend of the Women’s EHF EURO 2024.

With an area of more than 5,700 square metres, the 'European Handball House' will serve as a hub for the international cooperation between the EHF, its 50 Member Federations and their more than 350 clubs participating in European Cup competitions. With office space for up to 120 employees, as well as a 250-square-metre auditorium, several meeting rooms and its own TV studio, the building meets the highest standards of a modern working environment.

The building utilises cutting-edge technologies to minimise its carbon footprint. Heating and cooling are achieved using thermal groundwater and thermal component activation, providing efficient heat storage. Additionally, energy is generated via almost 250 square metres of photovoltaic pergolas, not only producing clean energy, but also offering shading. 

Building systems equipped with heat recovery further optimise energy use. For its energy efficiency and ecological quality, the building will receive the gold standard ‘klimaaktiv’ certificate issued by the Austrian government on the day of the opening.

The ‘European Handball House’ was jointly realised by the EHF together with real estate developer Raiffeisen Property Holding International (RPHI) and Austrian construction company Strabag as general contractor. The Vienna-based architects of Burtscher-Durig ZT GmbH were entrusted with the general planning.

Michael Wiederer, EHF President, says: “With the 'European Handball House', we are entering a new era and creating a place for the continuous development of European handball. This house is more than a workplace; it is a meeting ground where the European handball family and its stakeholders unite. Its elegant yet highly functional design ensures an inspiring environment, ideal for hosting meetings, conferences, and essential discussions that will shape the future of our sport. At the same time, it is a strong commitment to Vienna with its excellent accessibility and international flair as the ‘place to be’ for the EHF.”

Martin Hausleitner, EHF Secretary General, says: “We have incorporated a lot of open spaces to strengthen the cooperation between our departments. However, we have also created areas for focus and concentration, for example when it comes to the legal and finance departments, where people must be able to work in a quiet environment whenever necessary. With small kitchens and open meeting areas, we have created areas to foster communication between employees. The entire design is aimed at strengthening the workflows, the communication and the relationship between employees.”

Karl-Maria Pfeffer, CEO of RPHI, emphasises the project’s positive impact on the Neu Marx district: “The 'European Handball House' combines first-class office space with contemporary design and innovative thermal building activation. It creates an inspiring working environment for international teams and at the same time contributes to the upgrade of the entire area. This project is an important step in our mission to create office space with an international appeal that offers a high quality of life through modern architecture and future-proof technologies.”

About the EHF

The European Handball Federation (EHF) is the governing body for handball in Europe. With 50 member federations and two associated federations, the EHF is responsible for a wide range of tasks and activities from promotion, development and education through to the organisation of high-profile competitions and events including the EHF EURO and EHF Champions League. The headquarters of the federation and its marketing subsidiary, EHF Marketing GmbH, are in Vienna, Austria.

About the Raiffeisen Property Holding International (RPHI)

Raiffeisen Property Holding International (RPHI) is the real estate competence centre of Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) AG. RPHI develops, manages, operates and exploits real estate in Austria and the CEE region. RPHI's range of services includes its own developments, as well as comprehensive real estate services in various asset classes. The successful developments impress with their timeless and attractive architecture; they are energy-efficient and optimised in terms of operating costs. All new developments since 2011 have been awarded sustainability certificates (ÖGNI, DGNB or LEED) in the respective top segments. Since 2022, RPHI projects have also been certified according to the SHORE – Safe Asset Standard. www.rphinternational.com