hertl architekten: aichinger house

subscribe via
email
RSS
facebook
twitter

articles
in brief
in full
charts
this week
this month
all time

hertl architekten: aichinger house

'aichinger house' by hertl architekten in kronstorf, austria
all images courtesy hertl architekten
image © kurt hoerbst

austrian practice hertl architekten has sent us images of 'aichinger house',
a multi-storey apartment building consisting of two flats in kronstorf.
the structure, which once housed a restaurant, is treated to a textile skin
which lends the building a light, curtain effect. by applying a material
which is normally reserved for the indoors, the project explores the flexibility
of facades and skins.

elevation
image © kurt hoerbst

appearing almost metallic from a distance, the design wraps the whole exterior
of the building in the light grey fabric, rendering the layout and form of
the interior hidden from the outside viewer. partings in the facade correspond
with the windows to allow daylight into the apartments. much like regular
indoor curtains, the skin can be drawn closed to provide shade and diffusion of light.

during the night, the fabric provides a paper lantern effect, distributing the glow
from the building to the exterior.

exterior view
image © kurt hoerbst

(left) side entrance
(right) detail of curtain facade
images © kurt hoerbst

fabric pulled back in front of a window
image © kurt hoerbst

interior views
images © kurt hoerbst

during the evening
image © kurt hoerbst

in context
image © kurt hoerbst

site plan

floor plan

section

erica db

01.11.11

Hmm, why not going a bit further? The basic idea is nice, but could be more innovative! What if the outer curtain would change its distance to the façade? What if there were courtyards behind closed curtains. What if you arrange functions behind closed curtains they need privacy (bathroom e.g.) and bring openings (and light) in the second layer?

It could be more than this shown here...
Spacially this project has only another layer around an ordinary cube. And the interior picture aren't charming at all.
(This is something that could have been tested in a small model/ mock up! Architects, get up and verify your ideas!)

What makes good architecture? Exploiting the potentials of an idea!

Exploiting potentials 01.11.11

I quite like it. It is extremely challenging to the normal lines of though. I just have one question, if somebody could help me with it...

What is the actual fabric? Is it something that is weather proof? And how would one keep it clean? Would love to know, I would unashamedly use the material concept in smaller scale if it is practical.

DJ 01.11.11

Very refreshing to see an innovative and new idea for once!

More projects that challenge conventions such as this.

modern math 01.11.11

wow!

megi 01.11.11

Christo and Jeanne Claude's work meets BMW's cloth concept car. Nice

Eljonay 01.11.11

what's the point in hiding the facade? the architect don't like it, the owners don't like it? Someone explains me the concept of hiding a facade and why is it that original...
By the way, the fabric has to be weather proof, otherwise i don't see how those sheets can protect the house...

hidden facade 01.11.11

Won't these curtains become quite dirty after a short time?

Joseph 01.11.11

attempting to extend the distance from the facade with the fabric would be intersting indeed but it would also deny one of the basic concepts here, ie: the fabric as a skin drawn taut across the rectilinear form

interesting constrast to herr van lieshout's approach to defacement of a rectilinear form

dbkii 01.11.11

when i studied architecture, it was clear for me that the facade was the logical consequence of the spaces created/arranged/modulated/deformed in and around the artifact that we call 'the building', and still is..., so, what's the value of this project when even reading the article the only thing worth mentioning are the curtains that cover the building?

hidden facade 01.11.11

the curtains are the façade, no ?

pass 01.11.11

I'm an interior designer. I spent 5 years studing design at University.
I think this project is very original and very clever.
Maybe it's not functional but the concept of interior sight becomes the exterior of the building it's amusing and poetic.

websnail 01.11.11

provocative

barry 01.12.11

i think it's odd that the curtains don't feature in either plans or sections -- it reinforces my feeling that they haven't been fully integrated into the architecture but are really a facade idea only, a bit like a flexible rainscreen.

bill 01.12.11

very nice, but the curtains should be openable/closable. now its half-way to perfect.

tooma 01.12.11

@tooma
they ARE openable/closable.

fischinger 01.12.11

very my taste ! very nice !

SEOULISH 01.12.11

seem interessing at first, but it is just contemporatary abstracted, then the curtains can not work out it function for the facde, and it is bring up the constrains to open the doors, windows, . no?????

Thuy Duong 01.12.11

cool idea, a misunderstanding between in and out... the only question is: why shall we need the curtains also inside the windows (as shown e.g. in picture 6, "fabric pulled back in front of a window")? It declares that curtains outside are not functional...?

matitina 01.12.11

Personally I don't see the point for placing these curtains all around the building. I mean... If they were meant to be an outer skin... they should have a specific function ALL AROUND the building. Solar control or something. The whole building is solid and it's only controlling how light enters in specific regions, as are windows. I like the idea very much! but i think that making the whole building a glass box would have reinforced the concept and function of the whole thing. As it is, i think of it as a designer's whim

Toski 01.12.11

Personally, I think the place looks like it's being fumigated for pests.

msmith 01.12.11

And the outside curtains are very much functional. You can see that they're being spread apart by hooks. If one released the curtains from the hook, they could easily draw them in over the windows.

msmith 01.12.11

Poor washing machine..

L. 01.13.11

@fischinger
I meant that you should be able to open/close them from the inside of the house. Now it looks like you have to go outside if you want to close them.

Anyways, very cool!

tooma 01.13.11

I like the idea but it seems like it would attract all sort of insects behind the curtain.

bizoune 01.17.11

it reminds me this project at AA Architectural Association for the Interprofessional Studio:
http://www.pleatfarm.com/2010/03/24/laura-boffi-curtain-project/

jollycembalo 01.17.11

hertl architekten (1 articles)

hertl architekten: townvilla klosterneuburg

architecture | 06.29.11

respecting the local architectural typology of the site, the design features a subtle street face that leads up to a highly open house that unfolds around a series of courtyards.

zündel cristea: mixed-use buil

READER'S SUBMISSION winner of the 2012 mipim award for best residential project in paris, france, for a mixed-use building in the urban development zo...

j.meier: complex structure

READER'S SUBMISSION a table which uses the marks of gymnasium floors to capture our cognitive perception and question our attention to complexity.

ai weiwei directs ordos 100 do

architecture

100 architects from 27 countries were selected to participate in the ordos 100, whereby each team was asked to design a 1000-sq...

ai weiwei at magasin 3 stockho

art

ai weiwei's first solo exhibition in sweden, the installation includes several monumental politically-driven sculptural works e...

BREIL new times

DESIGNBOOM COMPETITIONS the watch offers a new method for telling time whereby the command hands indicat

nils kajander: BREIL paparazzo

DESIGNBOOM COMPETITIONS shortlisted in designboom's international design time BREIL competition, the wat

SELFPROMO - january 17 - march 17

DESIGN - AEROBICS how to present yourself in a creative world. different approaches to make sure your work is brought to the attention of the people that 'matter'...

POP UP - january 17 - march 17

DESIGN - AEROBICS don’t blink or you’ll miss it! in this course we’ll look at temporary structures, from living quarters and exhibition stands to container stores...

341,293 subscribers

keep up to date with recent articles and upcoming events.
to receive both newsletters please check 2 boxes.

© copyrights 2000 - 2012 designboom, all rights reserved. all material published remains the exclusive copyright of designboom.
no contents, including text, photographs, videos, etc. may be reproduced in whole or in part without the written consent of designboom. in addition,
no material or contents may be reproduced on the world wide web by techniques of mirroring, framing, posting, etc. without the written consent of designboom.