Villa 3S

Villa 3S by LOVE architecture and urbanism, Austria, 2010.

Villa 3S is located on a picturesque property on the fringes of Graz Geidorf.  One of the fundamental ideas was to incorporate the relatively large property into the living space.  Therefore, the design blurred the boundaries between house and garden creating fluid transitions and an extended exterior living space.  The relatively strict land-use plan, which stipulated a saddle roof with a designated inclination, presented a further challenge. The roof form begins by folding on the southern terrace continues up and over the building structure and thereby forms an abstract saddle roof.  This folding spatially differentiates the individual areas providing excitement.  This also creates unique views from every angle of the home.

Architects: LOVE architecture and urbanism
Location: Graz Geidorf, Austria
Construction Calculation: Hartmth Petschnigg
Building Physics: Roland Müller
Project Area: 145 sqm
Project Year: 2010
Photographs: Jasmin Schuller

The architects describe the house as, “Simple yet complex; clear but also playful; light and optimistic; small yet also big.  A place that is architecturally distinct, yet eminently livable; unconventional and unique, and still functional for everyday living.”

The interior of the house is centered around one main room for cooking, eating and living. When open, large sliding doors between the individual rooms connect a fluid, complete spatial structure. With the sliding doors closed, each room maintains its intimacy and distinctiveness and also extends to its own outdoor area or access. For example, the bathroom has its own opaque terrace with an outdoor shower, which can be converted to an interior room with the use of broad folding doors. Weather permitting, the bathroom space can be doubled in this way.

The building is a massive brick construction with concrete walls and a reinforced concrete roof. This roof also serves as a thermal storage mass to provide a pleasant indoor climate and is covered with wood outside. This shades the planking and visually blends the terrace and roof into a unified whole.

Villa P.

Villa P by LOVE architecture and urbanism, Austria, 2010.

Architects: LOVE architecture and urbanism
Location: Waltendorf Graz, Austria
Design Team: Sigrid Derler, Sabine Sternbach
Area: 180.7 sqm
Year: 2010
Photographs: Jasmin Schuller

The site – a relatively steep hill – offers a stunning view over Graz. This panorama also provided the main guiding principle for the design. One additional goal was to provide direct access to the garden. Due to the very steep slope, this goal actually worked contrary to the aim of maximizing the panoramic view.

The upper level, which is oriented completely towards the fantastic view, contains all of the living space, while the lower level houses the doctor’s office and adjoining rooms. This layout provides a clear separation of living and working spaces, including separate entrances.

The upper level features two spacious terraces – one facing south and west, which provides an extension of the living room and the children’s rooms, and one facing north and east, which is an extension of the bedroom and bathroom and affords somewhat more privacy. A very broad external staircase with sitting steps connects the upper level and the garden, thereby joining the living space and the garden into an organic whole.

A pool is located in front of the building and connects to the carport. The pool and carport together provide a clear border between the property and the street, thereby increasing the privacy of the property.

Thus, a harmonious ensemble is created – a play of extrovert and introvert, of proximity and distance, which maximizes the strengths of the property, while simultaneously offering privacy.