Prefabricated components are growing in popularity among architects encouraged by their lower costs, lower environmental footprint, ease of transport and fast construction times. And as we continue to see, they can be quite easy on the eye, too, with the latest example taking shape as an elegant rectangular-shaped home built into the slopes of the Austrian alps.
The newly completed Mountain House covers 180 square meters (2,000 sq ft) and is the handiwork of Berlin-based architect Sigurd Larsen, who recently added the finishing touches to the Løvtag Hotel treetop cabins in a Danish forest. His latest creation also seeks to immerse its inhabitants in nature, with the cross-laminated timber (CLT) home occupying a sloping plot of land in Oberschlierbach, Upper Austria, with thick forest to one side and expansive valley views on the other.
A single car garage, three bedrooms and two bathrooms feature on the home’s upper level, with a long desk flanking the corridor to offer plenty of home office space. A staircase leads down to common spaces on the lower level which are enclosed entirely by floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing for lots of natural light and the opportunity to take in the surroundings.
These common spaces include a dining area with a built in wooden bench, known locally as Eckbank and an “essential part of an Austrian home,” according to Larsen. Beyond the kitchen is a living area with built-in bookshelves, followed by a doorway to a small terrace.
A string of freestanding walls separate the rooms on the lower level and allow for built in bookcases, kitchen storage and shelving, but also act as supports for the cantilevered saddle roof that extends over the outdoor terrace to offer some shade and protection.
The Mountain House was completed last week for a private client. To have more of a look around the inside and out, check out the gallery.
Source: Sigurd Larsen
