Minimalissimo

Viktoria's House

architecture
Location
Vals, South Tyrol, Italy
Architecture
Andreas Gruber Architects
Photography
Gustav Willeit

Viktoria's house is located in Vals in South Tyrol at about 1350m above sea level. Designed by Andreas Gruber Architects, the concrete brutalist building is located in the south-facing Vals valley and is accompanied by steeply rising mountain slopes that end in meadows and forests in barren peaks.

The built environment is predominantly agricultural. Most of them are simple buildings with gable roofs and reduced choice of materials. Based on these images, Andreas Gruber Architects have developed a concept that incorporates the landscape and architectural parameters of the location.

The house features a compact three-storey building volume with an isosceles gable roof. All floors are accessed via a straight interior staircase in the central area of the building. There is a spacious living room and a master room with bathroom. In the attic there are two more bedrooms and a bathroom unit. Through a window opening you experience high air space above the living area. The garage, cellars and technical room, on the other hand, are located in the basement.

Functional and weather-resistant surfaces characterise the external appearance of the structure. Concrete as a decisive material establishes a direct relationship with the rocky landscape. In contrast, the larch wood windows give the building a homely—and at the same time—warming character.

The facades are defined by deeper funnel-shaped incisions, which allow sunlight to enter the interior of the building on the residential floor. Viewed from the interior, on the other hand, targeted views of the natural landscape are provided. The compactness of the form and the reduction to the essential give the building an iconic character and make this residential stone merge with the natural landscape.

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