Minimalist mountain retreat by architect Sigurd Larsen floats above nature
A family mountain retreat in the Austrian countryside makes for a peaceful alpine bolthole
As bucket-lists go, an alpine bolthole has long been a Wallpaper* favourite, not least for the aspirational ideal of all that crisp air, fabulous tectonic views, and bragging rights. The cache becomes even more pronounced if said bolthole is as thoughtfully conceived as this mountain retreat.
Located 800m above sea level in the southern mountains of Wels in the Austrian state of Oberösterreich, where the lowlands suddenly rear up into the Alps, Mountain House is the first Alpine project for the Berlin-based studio, Sigurd Larsen Design & Architecture.
Set off at a right angle from the main road, the house hovers over a green-cloaked slope, resting its cantilevered spine on a bijou south-east facing terrace that looks out on snow-capped Großer Priel.
To accommodate the slope, the interiors of the house rise on a series of steps and staircase, whilst the walls are lined with oversized windows and vitrines that take in the shifting tableau of sky, granite and pine forests. ‘We wanted to create a house where the living room and kitchen feels like a part of the surrounding green meadow, and the bedrooms are cosy little cabins floating above,’ Larsen says, adding that from the common spaces, ‘you can open glass doors in all directions and step out onto the grass.’
The exteriors of the glass doors are mirrored, an unexpected sleight of hand so that the reflection of the alpine greenery creates the illusion that the upper level of the timber-clad house floats off the hill.
Larsen also took charge of some of the interior furnishings, noting that ‘in Denmark where I grew up and studied, we have a long tradition of architects designing furniture. With The Mountain House, this tradition meets the Austrian tradition of customising wooden furniture for the house. It was a privilege to work with Austrian carpenters who brought lots of ideas to the table.
INFORMATION
sigurdlarsen.com
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Daven Wu is the Singapore Editor at Wallpaper*. A former corporate lawyer, he has been covering Singapore and the neighbouring South-East Asian region since 1999, writing extensively about architecture, design, and travel for both the magazine and website. He is also the City Editor for the Phaidon Wallpaper* City Guide to Singapore.
-
All hail the arrival of true autonomy? On Tesla’s proposed Robotaxi and techno-insecurity
Tesla’s new marketing push predicts a future of robot cabs, automated buses and autonomous home androids. We already want to get off
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Discothèque perfumes evoke the scent of Tokyo in the year 2000
As Discothèque gets ready to launch its first perfume collection, Mary Cleary catches up with the brand’s founders
By Mary Cleary Published
-
This unassuming London house is a radical rethinking of the suburban home
Station Lodge by architect Andrei Saltykov in South West London offers a radical subversion to regional residential architecture
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Remembering Alexandros Tombazis (1939-2024), and the Metabolist architecture of this 1970s eco-pioneer
Back in September 2010 (W*138), we explored the legacy and history of Greek architect Alexandros Tombazis, who this month celebrates his 80th birthday.
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Sun-drenched Los Angeles houses: modernism to minimalism
From modernist residences to riveting renovations and new-build contemporary homes, we tour some of the finest Los Angeles houses under the Californian sun
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Modernist architecture: inspiration from across the globe
Modernist architecture has had a tremendous influence on today’s built environment, making these midcentury marvels some of the most closely studied 20th-century buildings; here, we explore the genre by continent
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Minimalist architecture: homes that inspire calm
These examples of minimalist architecture place life in the foreground – clutter is demoted; joy promoted
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
The iconic British house: key examples explored
New book ‘The Iconic British House’ by Dominic Bradbury explores the country’s best residential examples since 1900
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Loyle Carner’s Reading Festival 2023 stage presents spatial storytelling at its finest
We talk to Loyle Carner and The Unlimited Dreams Company (UDC) about the musical artist’s stage set design for Reading Festival 2023
By Teshome Douglas-Campbell Published
-
The Leaf is a feat of engineering and an ode to the Canadian Prairies
The Leaf in Winnipeg, Canada, is the first interactive horticultural attraction of its kind: a garden and greenhouse complex promoting a better understanding of how people can connect with plants
By Adrian Madlener Published
-
Behind the V&A East Museum’s pleated façade
Behind the new V&A East Museum’s intricate façade is a space for the imagination to unfold
By Ellie Stathaki Published