House D2

House D2 | Röschitz, Austria | 2023
[Claus Grünstäudl]

It should definitely be a bungalow – not a derivative with a hipped roof and small windows – the rooms should open up to the outside, be flooded with light and high.

That was the task after finding the right property on the edge of town in a newly developed settlement in Röschitz. Because the site was only slightly uneven and already well proportioned, it was an easy task to place the buildings. In addition to the aforementioned desire for a bungalow, it was important for the young family to maintain a certain level of intimacy in the remaining garden, also due to the planned expansive terrace. This was solved by arranging the buildings (residential wing, garage with cellar and garden house) in such a way that a certain “courtyard character” was created. The residential wing is completely closed on the north side except for a floor-to-ceiling window and an atrium. On the east side in the living wing are the bedrooms and the independent garage with a basement. On the southwest side there is still the garden house, which formally completes the ensemble at this corner.

As you can see from the floor plan, an outdoor space has been developed in front of the floor-to-ceiling, glazed south side of the residential wing, which invites you to linger on the spacious surrounding terrace.

Bright spaces and a clear view were the top priority when designing the interior. From the entrance area, the view can sweep through the entire living area or hit the atrium cut into the north side. Two bathrooms, one with a toilet, were designed as a room within a room, with the family bathroom gaining additional size thanks to a glass wall facing the atrium. In a further sequence there is the dining area and the kitchen and then the living area, which has been partially lowered by approx. 60cm to create a cozy “living pit”.

Storage space and building services as well as a representative wine room are located under the garage wing and can be reached via external stairs and a small courtyard (below garden level).

The house was built in solid construction (basement: exposed concrete, ground floor: brick). The outer walls were covered with a wooden substructure, which also accommodates the mineral insulation, and then covered with pre-grayed spruce boards. A flat foil roof with sloping insulation underneath was installed. In order to make the canopy as delicate as possible, a steel construction was used and structurally designed so that no pillars disturb the view.

A heat pump heats in winter and could keep the temperature in the bungalow in summer thanks to the prepared ceiling cooling. The fact that this is not absolutely necessary despite the large glass surfaces is thanks to the natural shading of the canopy. A photovoltaic system was installed to generate energy and covers the majority of the electricity requirements. Text description by the architects.