Location: Latigen, Vorarlberg, Austria Year of construction: 2002 Architect: Herman Kaufmann Photography: Ignacio Martinez
With its exceptional location and vegetation, this piece of land was once the site of a smali country home in an advanced state of disrepair. The property was bought with the intention of demolishing the old building and erecting a new one that would make the most of the location. While the plan is fairly extensive and the built – on area is much larger than it was before, the project strove to have minimal impact on the environment and to find an architectural language that respected the setting.
The two-story structure has a rectangular unit that is closed on one side and is supported by a second lower unit, which is very light and transparent. This basic composition set out to achieve several purposes: a tranquil language, an emphasis on horizontality, and a low building. The part of the basement that faces the mountain is reinforced concrete, while the rest of the structure consists of prefabricated wooden modules that comprise the framework and roof. These elements have pronounced overhangs that emphasize the relationship between the interior of the house and the exterior space. This structure is also the support for all the walls and windows.
Local pine wood links the building to the traditional architecture of the region, while the large windows bring inside a splendid panoramic view of the Bregenz forest. The layout of transparent spaces covered by overhangs provides a variety of protected exterior areas. One of these spaces serves as the entrance on the upper floor of the house. Branching off from it is a hall that leads to all the rooms.
The С-shaped upper box looks like a singlefolded element chat emphasizes the direction of the most important panoramic views.