studio PAULBAUT proposes HAUS KW as a hybrid house in austria

studio PAULBAUT’s ‘HAUS KW’ proposal is a modern take on residential austrian houses. the concept behind the project was born with the client’s desire to separate the sauna cabin from the main structure. this idea is reflected in the design of the building skin, where two separate typologies are brought together: a typical vernacular pitched roof and a minimalist ‘box’ house. 

shell design: process diagram

studio PAULBAUT proposed a partially floating cast-in-place concrete slab which allows for a smaller building footprint and less disturbance of the existing landscape. the interior finish is deliberately kept stark, with a sealed concrete floor and white walls: this highlights the warmth of the wooden sauna block and furniture.

fall season 

winter season 

the house would be composed of the following spaces: multi-purpose room used as relaxation area, art studio, library or guest bedroom, sauna cabin, bathroom, storage, MEP closet, and an outdoor terrace with privacy towards east.

3D section showing the configuration of the interior space

the highly reflective insulated metal panels constitute the main layer of the building skin. wooden slats cover up the northern facade, resembling the traditional building material so often used for cladding in surrounding houses of mountainous regions. structural timber constitutes the main support of the house. privacy on the eastern and northern facades is satisfied with glazed openings placed on the southern and western facades.

axonometric view of the house 

house elevations showing the different facades of the house and the privacy settings 

floor plans showing each a particular use of the multi-purpose room 

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lea zeitoun | designboom