Villa am Waldrand

The villa at the edge of the forest from Atelier Claus Radler relies on materials that are both timeless and durable. In addition to the pool, the stone walls, the patios and the pathway through Clemens Lutz’s very naturally grown garden design, a beautiful Turkish marble is used in the living area.

The choice of materials and, above all, the combinations of the materials, make the design of the house by Claus Radler, as well as the garden design by Clemens Lutz, a great whole – there cannot be too much stone; neither indoors nor outdoors.

 

Living is a tightrope walk along borders that are sometimes invisible. You want a view into the distance, but not a view inside for anyone nearby. You want nature close at hand, but at the same time, the city should be within walking distance. You want to entertain guests, but also have your peace and quiet. A good residential building must therefore be a double-side something that unites all these opposites, without exposing the two hearts within its soul because ultimately, from an architectural point of view, it must make an elegant whole. 

The Viennese villa that architect Claus Radler designed for the building owner couple stands on a boundary, not only figuratively, but also physically. It is located directly on the forest and meadow belt that surrounds Vienna to the west, and, as a park protection area, is taboo for development. Accordingly, the boundaries within which the home was allowed to be moved, were sharply defined: those of the original house, built in the 1980s, which, due to its bulk could not fulfil the desire for foresight, and was therefore demolished. 

The most important wish of the building owners: The house should be generous and cosy, intimate and spacious, all at the same time. A view down over the treetops towards Vienna, no view over the hedge into the garden. A typical balancing act for a home. The simple sophistication: The villa cleverly makes use of the height differences of the building plot. The access and entrance are in the basement; this means that the garden storey, with the living area, is hidden from view. And visitors are rewarded with an airy, vertical entrance hall into which a glazed conservatory projects almost dramatically. 

The front facing the patio on the valley side is held together by a prominent projection, which stands out in white against the warm dark clinker brick facade. The house shows its more private side towards the edge of the forest and opens out onto a sunny but sheltered pool. 

Inside, the game with the different heights is taken even further. The staggering of the split level results in a pathwaythrough the house that is as natural as it is exciting. The desire for representation and privacy is satisfied by a clever solution: The rooms are arranged in pairs and each open area has a small intimate room attached.

The view out into the sprawling wilderness is framed by the wide, brick fireplace that towers above the living room. This is clad, just like the almost the entire house, in Danish clinker -  an unusual choice in Vienna, where plaster facades are customary. “Each single brick is shaped by hand“, empasisesGerda Edelmüller, project manager at the Claus Radlerbureau. “No two are the same, which results in an organic, vivid look and feel.“ This is not the only place where special attention was paid to the choice of materials. Elm wood was used in the interior, both for the interior walls and for the ceiling panelling; a warm contrast to the cool Turkish marble that gives the living room and dining room flooring a luxurious glow. “The building owners think in the long-term“, explains Gerda Edelmüller. “Timeless and durable materials where therefore required.“