House D, Mauren (FL)

The architectural design pays homage to the view and the orientation of the site near the state border of Austria and Liechtenstein. This unique situation offers a magnificent view of the Rhine Valley in Vorarlberg unobstructed by new development. The three-story building located on the southeastern slope at the edge of a newly developed area is accessed mid-level from a steep road. The client’s bedroom is located opposite the entrance. Single-flight staircases provide access to either the garden level on the bottom floor with the three children’s rooms or to the living area on the top floor. The lower facade in front of the bedrooms is recessed forming a weather-protected open space.
In the style of a penthouse, the living room sits on top as a pavilion with floor-to-ceiling glazing. A staircase and an oven separate the kitchen and dining area. The projecting roof in front of the kitchen forms a porch roof covering an outdoor dining area.
This pavilion like top floor is surrounded by a wide timber-clad terrace oriented to the north and east underlining the most precious views. An elongated pool forms the edge of this plateau above the bedrooms and becomes visible in the facade as an exposed concrete structure. The sophisticated integration of the building into the topography allows for garden access even from the top floor, where the terrace is located. The difference in height by half a story is bridged by a ramp of stairs, expanding the width of the terrace into the garden.

Client: Family D
Location: FL-9493 Mauren
Architecture: Dietrich | Untertrifaller
Project management: Andreas Hammer
Construction: 2005-2006
Area: 238 m²

Partner
structural engineering: Mader & Flatz, Bregenz / HAVCR: Synergy, Dornbirn /// photos: © Bruno Klomfar