Address
Dornbirn, A

Client
Family Böhler-Jutz

The houses in Dornbirn lie at the bottom of the hillside on which the house belonging to the Böhler-Jutz family was built. However, they are so far away that they give no more than an inkling of the prospect of any other buildings being situated within easy reach somewhere between the house and the open landscape. The fact that the house was designed not simply to occupy a space in the landscape but to relate to it is evident from the fact that the main body of the building stands at an angle to the hillside. On the southern side the observer’s gaze wanders along the orchard-covered hillside as far as the Swiss mountains, while on the northern side an extended pool forms a transverse bar facing the main building. The effect created by the pool is that of a very distinct but equally harmonious visual boundary between the open landscape and built-up areas which absorbs the clouds and the sky.
The terrace next to the pool, which forms part of the upper floor, is the most frequented area in fine weather; it is directly connected to the highly transparent main living, dining and cooking area which faces out onto the landscape. The all-through interior accessibility of this space is interrupted only by a few room-dividing fittings. The residential floors below, comprising the bedrooms, bathroom/toilet and other subordinate functions, are subdivided into several separate units. Slightly more introverted in character than the main living area are the ground floor and basement, which likewise have large panes opening up to the west. Small-profile, interior glazed fronts ensure unobstructed views within the residential levels and between the floors.
The larch-shingled, extensively glazed façade has been carefully chosen. The wood adapts to the environment in the course of time, the colour changes from brown to grey and, depending on the weather and mood, blends perfectly with the trees and mountains. The glazed frontage provides magnificent panoramic views of the landscape, and the boundaries between nature and architecture appear to melt.

Planning
be Lochau

Project Architect
Rainer Huchler

Assistance
Marika Marte

Site Area
1.202 m²

Area of Building
160 m²

Net Floor Area
211 m²

Building Volume
1.015 m³

Commencement Of Planning
1996

Commencement Of Work
1996

Completion
1998