The architects Florian Gebauer and Thomas Wittmann from Regensburg in Germany are responsible for the design planning, the execution was carried out together with the construction management by Manfred and Maximilian Rottensteiner from nearby Weikersdorf. Three new guest houses with adjoining gastronomy and farm shop for selling the products produced on site were to be added to the already existing agricultural operation of the farm estate. The new supply building with gastronomy and farm shop was arranged as a demarcation along the existing road space and in a way forms the backbone of the new complex.
The veranda shows a clear orientation towards the orchards to the south-east, on a slightly rising slope. Due to the limited building space, the three garden lofts had to be placed directly in front of the restaurant and its open-air gastronomic area. In order not to block the view of the extensive orchard from there, the idea arose to design the guest houses as floating, unevenly shaped wooden cubes under which the landscape can “flow through”. On the one hand, the elevation created a relationship between the gastronomic area and the surrounding gardens, and on the other hand, the higher position of the guest flats allows a panoramic view of the Vienna Alps to the west, combined with an attractive overview of the surrounding vegetation of the Hofgut on the opposite side.
The use of wood as the predominant building material was obvious due to the ecological and sustainable orientation of the farm and the strong landscape reference of the complex. In addition, the choice of material also led to a gentle connection between the new houses and the surrounding nature. This effect is reinforced by the arrangement of the three sharp-edged cubes along the natural topography. The staggered heights of the houses establish a harmonious relationship with the mountain landscape behind them.
The ceilings and walls of the garden lofts are made of solid cross-laminated timber elements, which can also be seen as visible surfaces in the interior of the garden lofts. Only the floor construction is made of steel grating on load-bearing reinforced concrete supports for structural reasons. In this way, an impression as floating as possible was achieved and the interference with the topography could be kept as low as possible. The varying angular connections of walls and roof surfaces required a high degree of precision in the execution. This is also evident in the exact sharp-edged execution of the mitred façade cladding. In order to reinforce the monolithic character of the wooden cubes, pine wood treated with acetic acid (passivated) was used, which considerably reduces the absorption capacity of water and thus almost prevents swelling. This made it possible to build the cladding over a wide area without joints.
Wood as the primary building material also leads to a sensual experience of nature inside the garden lofts in the form of the smell of wood combined with the view of the landscape.
Contact the architects:
Gebauer.Wegerer.Wittmann Architects BDA
Sedanstrasse 15
93055 Regensburg
T: 0941.5840471
F: 0941.5840472
mail@gww-architekten.de
www.gww-architekten.de
