Holiday Home
A house for a family of four was to be built on a 50 m² plot: a large kitchen and dining area at the centre, a cosy living area with a fireplace and views, two bathrooms and three bedrooms – and all self-sufficient: no connection to mains electricity or water.
To reconcile the strict requirements of the development plan with the clients’ wishes for a spatially versatile house, a floor plan was devised inspired by a residential building by Hermann Billings. Wall sections converge towards the slope in the north and open up in the south to reveal the view of the valley. These sections define exterior and interior spaces and remain clearly identifiable as architectural elements. The resulting highly differentiated interior and exterior spaces create exciting spatial experiences without encroaching on too much land. Structurally, the building is a solid timber construction on a concrete base. The interior walls are plastered with clay from the site’s own excavation over reed mats. The built-in furniture has been developed as an integral part of the architecture and completes the spatial concept. The solid timber wall panels are insulated on the outside with wood fibre boards and finished with a vertical lime plaster. The house opens up between the panels with windows and doors. The house is self-sufficient in energy, with electricity supplied by a PV system flush-mounted into the roof cladding. Drinking water is obtained from the cistern via a water treatment system.
