Wohnhaus Schaan, Rhine Valley, Switzerland

The property which is located on the slope overlooking the Rheintal. The house faces south and offers a sublime view of the surrounding area and the far mountains of Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Austria. 

A floating design and the use of natural materials using concrete, copper, glass and wood as structural material characterize the single family home. Besides the structural members that establish contact with the ground, the rest of the house is constructed out of wood. Two L-shaped angles, clad with copper and pine, frame the structure. 

The different of the residential home are clearly divided by floors. The overhanging parts of the upper volume shelter the entrance area. The upper floor houses the private bedrooms of the parents as well as one bedroom for the child with a great rooftop terrace. The ground floor contains a generous dining and living space with a stove acting as a room divider 

A swimmingpool is positioned in front of the dining and living area and roofed terrace encircles the building and links the interior and the exterior space through room-high glazing. The overhanging parts of the upper roof shelter the balcony and give a shade to the broad expanses of glazing, protecting the house from excessive solar grain in the summertime. In the winter, the sunshine becomes a passive source of energy. The back of the house appears to be more closed. 

The entire façade of the building is clad with natural white pine wood taken from the local region and copper. Thanks to this wooden façade, which has already weathered to a light gray colour, the building fits in harmoniously with the surrounding area. The house was designed according to strict considerations of sustainability, involving the ecological quality of the materials and choices such as a solar hot-water-system, geo–thermal heating and a stove in the living area.