Efh Ges, a modern and elegant interpretation of the courtyard house

Design of a single family house for a family of four in Deutschkreutz, Burgenland - Austria. A single-story bungalow designed as an atrium-house – a modern and elegant interpretation of the courtyard house as the traditional building type in this area of the Burgenland. Using the possibility of architecture to transfer the collective principle of the village into the future.
Situated on a very slim corner-site, die bungalow presents itself closed towards the streets and opens up generously in shape of an atrium house with a floor-to-ceiling glas facade towards the backyard and garden. A wooden fence closes the site towards the streets and remains the requirement of closed building structures specified by the town development plan. Towards the inside the house changes its appearance completely and opens up widely.
There are no strict borders between inside and outside towards the atrium and garden – it is a smooth and floating transition. Also the inside is designed to be an open and light-flooded living concept. Foyer, living room and kitchen are one smooth continuous living space, winding around the center terrace – two curved windows support the soft shape of the living space. A special designed loam oven seperates the living area from the cigar-room at the eastern end. A generous sheltered terrace rounds off this wing of the bungalow. The outdoor pool is the eastern enclosure of the atrium, beyond the pool the garden continues until the historic “stadl” which encloses the site on the other end.
The parents area is oriented to the atrium and garden, the kids area towards the front courtyard, which maintains a feeling of privacy for both generations. A curtain is following the glasfacade all way long, to enable the possibility of more privacy on demand. Roof and atriumwalls are made of prefabricated cross laminated timber – the inner surrounding cantilever roof gives shadow to the inside during the summer months and lets the sun come in in the winter time. The use of CLT made prefabrication and a short construction time possible. The ceiling is left on sight and adds a comfortable feeling of nature materials in the house. The outside facade material is a simple grated stucco – supporting the closed and unpretentious outside appearance , whereas the inside facade is made of pre-weathered larch-laths framed by an white aluminium ribbon. The use of environmentally sustainable was of great value to the architect and the constructor - rockwool Insulation, wood and loam rendering were used.