in the neighbours' garden
in collaboration with Arch. Günther Litzlbauer
densification is possible even in built-up single-family housing areas. the plot of haus d lies in the middle of a block surrounded by residential streets, where the individual houses form a large, wonderful garden at the heart of the block. the generous zoning allows every plot to be built on up to a quarter of its total area, creating the opportunity to divide plots and densify the green spaces.
this created a 433 m² building plot in the middle of existing green space, not visible from the street. because of the groundwater situation within the influence of the danube and the slight drop of the plot below street level, it was quickly clear that we wanted to build as high as possible.
family life takes place between living and cooking on the ground floor and sleeping and relaxing upstairs. an additional multi-purpose room in the attic, with an all-round view, rises high above the neighbours.
the different areas of use of the family – still three people – are reflected in three differently shaped, stacked volumes that are offset from one another.
the transparent volume of the living rooms on the ground floor is largely glazed full-height across its whole surface to create as much connection as possible with the outdoors. the necessary ancillary rooms, docked onto the transparent areas, are only partly lit through slits.
the rather inward-looking box with the bedrooms upstairs seems to float above the living level, with balconies in front.
the multi-purpose room in the attic, a set-back box that also appears closed, is hardly noticeable from the garden and so creates intimacy and a place to retreat.
the structure consists of concrete and an exposed concrete slab on the ground floor and lightweight timber construction on the upper floors. the vertical battens of the façade are grey pre-impregnated fir – on the one hand to anticipate the weathering of the building and make it more uniform, and on the other to make the three volumes appear as one whole. in places the battens also extend over the fixed glazing as natural sun and privacy screening.
