Haus Walde

Kitzbuhel, Austria

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Haus Walde

Kitzbuhel, Austria

Firm

Gogl Architekten

Type

Residential › Private House

YEAR

2012

SIZE

10,000 sqft - 25,000 sqft

The client requested an open,
light-filled room with the garden and the beautiful backdrop of the Kitzbühl
Alps integrated into the living space. The site is located on a north-facing
slope, bordered on its western edge by a stream and a path, on its southern
edge by a street and on its eastern and northern edges by neighbouring sites
with freestanding buildings. The access road to the site is simultaneous with
the street on the southern side. There is a listed building in the eastern half
of the site, which had to remain unaltered. The biggest challenges were
positioning the new construction on a difficult slope, the narrowness of the
site and the architectural conflict with the existing house.
Spatial concept:
The new building is consciously
presented as a contemporary counterpoint to the old house. Both buildings stand
independently of each other as examples of construction from different epochs.
We attempted to adapt the new
construction to the topography of the site and to embed it as well as possible
into the terrain, at the same time making maximum use of the building
regulations. The changes of level in all three storeys, which are adapted to
the terrain, create differentiated zones while maintaining the open plan. A
long wall of natural stone on the slope side gives the residents 'backing' from
behind. The large-scale glazing, facing south towards the valley, opens up
varied views on the wonderful backdrop of the Kitzbühler Alps. Moveable facade
elements of wood ensure a feeling of spatial openness, while at the same time
safeguarding the private sphere of the residents. The multi-layered structure
of the facade and the interlaced rooms result in a complex spatial experience.
The central element of the ground floor is an open fireplace which sends
surplus heat to the geothermal heat pump and creates a cosy atmosphere.
As a modern contrast to the
earthly materials of wood and natural stone, the ceiling in the ground floor is
made of exposed concrete. In the bedrooms, oak wood dominates the floors and
the ceilings. The terraced roofs with their broad projecting canopies give the
building the character of an open structure embedded in the landscape with a
panel-like form. The interconnected inner rooms are further enlarged by
generous terraces without thresholds. The west-facing terrace, which enlarges
the living area, 'sways' over the stream along the western edge of the site and
thus makes optimal use of the limited space. The roof of the carport (which
aligns with the street) is transformed into part of the garden through planting
and is not visible from within the house. The southern part of the basement is
built as a living and working area and is optimally lit from the south.
The long path between the
street/carport and the basement (which is lit from above), serves as an art
space for pictures and sculptures.