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Architect: Franz Karner Arch. Dipl.Ing. Dr. techn.

Neulengbach, one hour drive from Vienna, is a little town surrounded by peaceful hills and fields. The vast views over them were a key element in the design of architect Franz Karner’s own house. A simple area was placed along the border of a sloped site, through its terrace windows one can see up to an nearby old palace, on the west up to the horizon 13 kilometres away.

The small apartment-box, housing an airy living area, bedroom and bathroom, is accessed by a separate entry connecting it to a lengthy workshop and storage building. All three areas stand on a wooden platform, floating over a meadow.

Facade windows maximise the views and the few walls on the left are needed for storage. The addition of roof windows was the perfect solution for providing the house with daylight where it was needed the most.

The inside blends seamlessly with the terrace, so the living area expands during the summer months. The perfectly barrier-free home is, as the designer says “as small as possible, and as big as necessary.” Franz Karner describes the house as a one-room venue consisting of different zones equipped with built-in furniture. Originally trained as a carpenter, he has drawn every corner of the house.

House in Neulengbach with VELUX roof windowsArchitect: Franz Karner Arch. Dipl.Ing. Dr. techn.; Photos: Patricia Weisskirchner

Franz Karner

Architect

We encourage our students to think about sustainability from the very beginning. During the course, they discover the importance of daylight in sustainable design and learn how to measure it in their projects with the Daylight Visualizer.

Architect: Franz Karner Arch. Dipl.Ing. Dr. techn.; Photos: Patricia Weisskirchner

VELUX roof windows play a crucial role in this lifestyle: they do not only let the light in but also enable quick air exchange inside. Thanks to a big roof opening above the stove, the kitchen becomes an outdoor venue, with hot air and cooking smells rising to the sky. This largest opening also enables an efficient cooling of the house after a long, hot summer day.

Graphic

Architect: Franz Karner Arch. Dipl.Ing. Dr. techn.; Photos: Patricia Weisskirchner

When it came to designing his own house, the architect did a daylight simulation, as his students do. Thanks to the gathered experience – he has collaborated with VELUX for seven years now - the daylight in the building turned out like he imagined. Also, the building interior looks exactly as the Daylight Visualizer images promised.

One and a half years of careful planning allowed for a five-month construction time. In fact, it only took a couple of days to erect the external walls of the building. Franz Karner’s agenda in this project is very different from many architects: he did not want to leave traces forever. He created a light-flooded and cosy habitation, which will last, consuming a minimal amount of energy, as long as the two residents will need it.

Project data

Location: Rørvig, Denmark
Architect: Architect: Elkiær + Ebbeskov Arkitekter APS, Lotte Elkiær and Ane Ebbeskov
Year: 2020
Photos: Stamers Kontor / Laura Stamer
Client: Private

VELUX Products used in this case
Image of integra electric flat roof window with dome cover CVP-ISD
VELUX INTEGRA® electric flat roof base with dome cover
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