Haus D: the function determines the composition rules

Austrian architects Pauhof design a house with a studio and gallery near Bressanone in Italy

by Malcolm Clark
6
6 Love 1289 Visits

The project for the single-family dwelling, Haus D, has been thought up by PAUHOF Architekten on a natural slope with views of the mountainous landscape of South Tyrol, at Novacella, in the immediate vicinity of Bressanone. The house, surrounded on one side by the town and the other by an area with vineyards, is designed as a ring that holds together the different elements that make up the site, and this influences its section and floor plan.

Along the south facing side, Haus D extends the entire buildable length of the plot, with a volume 12 meters high consisting of four levels; along the other sides, the floor plan of the house is rounded along the line of neighbouring properties.

The distribution of interior space is designed to capture all the best views over the natural landscape. The paths of the residence are characterized by a spiral course, which guarantees the spatial continuity of the environments, reaching up to the sinuous wooden roof.

The ground floor of the house is used as a studio-gallery with fairfaced concrete walls. A wooden staircase, which starts from near the main entrance, leads to a room with a double height room used as a study-library and overlooking the gallery below.

The sleeping area is arranged around a second crescent-shaped staircase: materials and colours, designed with the support of Bolzano artist Manfred Alois Mayr, define the spaces and functions of the house.

The use of materials varies from veined oak to natural stone, from fairfaced concrete to sisal, to bottle green glass.

A third staircase positioned along a concrete bearing wall leads to the house's only large space overlooking the two adjacent terraces, which includes all the living area and is lit by a long strip window 1 ½ metres high which gives a 180 degrees panoramic view.

Comments
    comment
    user
    Author
    References
    Haus D 36

    Haus D

    Novacella, Bressanone / Italy / 2007