Two houses and a courtyard

A family found their dream home in Klosterneuburg, Austria: a charming compact house from the 1950s at the front of the elongated plot and a beautiful view of the Danube from the back. Initially planning to demolish the existing house, we decided to integrate it into the new building project. A new house was inserted and oriented to create an atrium between the old and new building, connected by a common courtyard. The black metal construction of the pergola on the shorter side is filled with wooden slats and designed as high revolving doors to adapt to various needs. The wooden slats continue in the window openings of the new building as large folding shutters, creating a minimalist yet lively facade that constantly changes. Inside the house, the ground floor is one large open space structured by different floor levels that follow the sloping plot, creating distinct areas while maintaining generosity. The result is a “Raumplan” in the sense of Loos, where room heights change continuously. The materiality is largely exposed concrete with an inlaid board structure on the ceiling, rough wall surfaces, and a smooth floor. Vertical openings enhance this openness, with a circular cut-out in the ground floor ceiling marking the center of the house. A lying net is spanned in the round cut-out on the middle level, providing exciting spatial situations.
The different garden areas are artfully connected, with large sliding doors and windows connecting the inner courtyard with the spacious garden at the back. The natural pool at the back of the garden offers a wide view of the Danube, and the delicate shed roof facing the street is used as a carport. Old trees were carefully preserved, and the combination of board cladding of the new house and the trees make the house blend naturally into its surroundings. The old house was converted into a guest house and atelier.