heri&salli: house dress

‘house dress’ by heri&salli, klagenfurt, austria image © rainer wührer all images courtesy of heri&salli

vienna-based firm heri&salli have recently completed ‘house dress’, an extension to an existing residence in klagenfurt, austria. set adjacent to the original home’s dark exterior, the tilted rectilinear volume is sheathed with a skin of square aluminum sheets. a translucent glow is created at dusk as the interior’s light passes through the metal panels in varied intensities due to the diverse patterns of the perforations. dense or spaced rows of pinholes create a patchwork appearance with graduated luminosity.

facade perforations illuminated at night image © rainer wührer

the delicate appearance is derived from the pixelation of a clouded sky while the lustrous surface reflects the changing atmospheric conditions and picks up the colors of the surrounding landscape conditions. an aluminum support structure holds the membrane in place, providing an additional contrasting variation with striated shadows.

exterior during the day image © rainer wührer

tilted rectilinear volume image © rainer wührer

extension delicately connects with the existing house image © rainer wührer

facade detail image © rainer wührer

conceptual diagram

sketch