The small plot above Dornbirn is located in an intact core of Rhine valley houses. The location offers an impressive view towards the Säntis, Lake Constance and the Bregenzerwald. This was also the starting point for the unusual building concept. The Ypsilon form resulted from the desire to capture these three main view directions while largely hiding the neighbouring buildings.
Studio Name: juri troy architects
Area: 198m2
Year: 2020
Location: Dornbirn
Photography Credits: Juri Troy
After the short design phase, the approval of the unconventional building was not without hurdles. But the many years of successful cooperation and perseverance of the architect and the client finally paid off. In just three days, the wooden structure was erected on the reinforced concrete base. After just under a year, the building was completed, including the interior fittings.
The reinforced concrete basement contains guest rooms, a garage and technical facilities. The residential floor above was constructed as a timber frame building with a solid wood ceiling. Silver fir is used both in the interior and in the façade. The wood comes from regional production and was largely left untreated. The floor and ceiling have a band-sawn surface, all vertical elements such as wall panelling, furniture, doors and windows are planned. The material concept on the living floor is complemented by the targeted use of large-scale natural stone tiles in the bathroom and gneiss slabs in the kitchen and the clay-plastered stove in the living room.
The three-sided orientation of the building can also be read in the interior. Rounded, standing panelled wooden walls form the transition between the individual living areas and frame the views, as it were:
Facing west, the panorama window in the living room opens up a view over Lake Constance. The kitchen faces west and offers a view of the Säntis via a loggia. An additional window facing south brings the local mountain Karren into focus. The bedroom and bathroom face east and have a strong connection to nature through direct access to the garden. The open living space, extends around the central core, which, in addition to the staircase, also contains the fireplace, a storage room and the kitchen unit. The spatial zoning by means of core and wall panels makes classical doors superfluous. The result is an open living feeling that allows for visual relations and free movement between the areas. If necessary, the living areas can still be separated by sliding doors.
Heating is provided by an air heat pump. The flat roof is covered with extensive greenery. With the company Fetz Holzbau, a competent partner was found for the implementation and all trades were carried out with regional companies.
