47°40’48”n/13°8’12”e house

47°40’48”N/13°8’12”E describes a site in a rural setting which is at the same time specific and universal.


The surrounding landscape is unique, but could easily be replaced by another rural or urban location.The house could equally well be located anywhere else. Haus 47°40’48”N/13°8’12”E is not created for a specific location, rather it is simply a house in a location - or indeed a location in itself. This house for a universal setting is merely a hub in a personal network. For some time now one has been able to connect to a service infrastructure quite independently from any social pressure to make that connection in a particular location. This act of connection now takes place inside the house. Even the road network reaches inside the house. The house is an extension of both the vectoral streetscape and the visual landscape (or surroundings). The horizontally inserted structure comes directly into contact with the gently falling meadow. The surrounding farms, forest edges and mountains emerge emboldened into the landscape. The low, spreading lamina of the living space is reinforced by the two identical concrete slabs. When perceived from outside this living space is part of the surrounding landscape. From inside, these surroundings become part of the living space. A sense of presence is created by the nine geometrically identical timber modules. The spaces between become places of transition. Surfaces are smooth. Pressure is created.The resulting living space has neither defined edges nor a homogenous form.The diverse spaces can be joined and enlarged in a number of ways. The relationships between these spaces are more important than any system of simultaneity. Flexibility in the use of the system grows in step with the intensity of the relationship with the location.Structural Concept:As seen from the structural engineering point of view, the house is dominated by large cantilever projections, especially over the roof of the living area which extends out 8m on the northwest corner. Due to the hillside location, the floor panel, also found on the northwest side, appears to gradually dissolve from the base and float the 8m of its length above ground.A structural concept for the roof construction would have to deal with this projection. Given the materialization of exposed concrete on the underside, it was a struggle with the usability, that is, the deflexion and creep deformation of the structure.A rather unusual solution in the form of an inverted composite ceiling was applied: a steel beam grid with a depth of 500mm is placed on 16 cm thick reinforced concrete topping slabs and is joined with the shear studs. The grid as such, rests on some steel stanchions in the corners of the four “cores” of the living area.(eugen schuler, gbd dornbirn)

Energy Concept
heating system: brine and water heat-pump for under floor heatinglow ventilation system: the air system is equipped for waste-heat recoveryheat requirement: 25 kWh/(m2a) - low energy building