Somewhere in the middle of the green mountains of Austria, there’s a modern poetic approach to the ancestral cave houses… Two self-contained concrete buildings erupt from the grassy ground like two inhabitable rocks waiting to be discovered. Their unique mineral appearance allows a very low impact on the surrounding countryside full of sloping fields and woodland thickets. Architecture follows nature in order to merge quietly into the magnificent scenario positioned on a steep incline at almost 1100 meters altitude…
The mountain path leads to a set of stairs between the two houses, which are both entered from the rear, so that the entrances stay invisible to the passerby. The bigger building encloses the living rooms and bedrooms, while the smaller structure works as guesthouse with a sauna and shower room in the basement.
The program of the main house is arranged in split levels to create a spatial division between living room and kitchen on the ground floor. In the upper level the children’s room sits lower than the master bedroom to allow enough ceiling height for bunk beds.
Now it’s time to describe the poetic approach to ancient cave houses: exposed concrete walls are intentionally sandblasted to generate smooth interior surfaces on the social areas. All interior pavements are lined with elm boards which also clad the walls and ceilings in the bedrooms. At last, huge windows puncture the concrete facades on different spots to offer clear views across the mountain and forest landscapes… Peace and tranquility seem to flow freely in every corner of this mineral rocky house!
Architects: Olkruf
Photography: Adolf Bereuter
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