This modern residence is a 2012 project by Gogl Architekten that was designed for a client in Kitzbühel, Austria. The contrast of wood and glass makes Haus Walde feel quietly elegant yet comfortable against its rugged Alpine backdrop. The new building is consciously presented as a contemporary counterpoint to the old house. Both buildings stand independently of each other as examples of construction from different epochs. The multi-layered structure of the facade and the interlaced rooms result in a complex spatial experience. The central element of the ground floor is an open fireplace which sends surplus heat to the geothermal heat pump and creates a cosy atmosphere. As a modern contrast to the earthly materials of wood and natural stone, the ceiling in the ground floor is made of exposed concrete. In the bedrooms, oak wood dominates the floors and the ceilings. The terraced roofs with their broad projecting canopies give the building the character of an open structure embedded in the landscape with a panel-like form. The interconnected inner rooms are further enlarged by generous terraces without thresholds. The west-facing terrace, which enlarges the living area, ‘sways’ over the stream along the western edge of the site and thus makes optimal use of the limited space.
