Sue Architekten . photos: © Andreas Buchberger
How an old outbuilding became a writer’s workshop, a garden room for guests, and a children’s paradise.
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The workmen from the village wanted to tear down the black shed from 1934: draughty, weather-beaten and worm-eaten it was, they said. But we liked this black outbuilding of t he mansard -roof house in the Vienna Woods that we had just renovated in a radical yet respectful manner
The special appeal of this project lay in the rediscovery of these old outbuildings in the shadows of the Vienna Woods vi las. Back in the 1930s, few people muid afford a basement, let alone a garage. And so they built their own sheds to store wood, raise rabbits or boil laundry, which was then hung up to dry in the attic.
Over the past few decades these structures have lost their original purpose, a nd many are fall ing apart. This is a real pity. Converted into sma 11, cosy ‘hideaways’, they beco me afforda ble, magica 1 places of retreat for families a nd t heir guest s.
We inserted a large pane of glass into the front wall of the attic floor and carefully insulated t he t russes. The walls were panelled with varnished grey fir wood, a nd an elevated section was upholstered so that t he attic ca n also be used as an out of-the-ordinary guest room.
An elegant brass tra pdoor eloses off th is enchanted place, from where you can watch the sq uir rels play in the t reetops. The ground floor is still used for storing garden too Is, the lawn mower and fruit crates,while upstairs it is snug a nd comfortable. Spotlights illuminate the brass in the evening, creating a warm light – even in freezing winter when the unheated room is used for cooling down after a sauna session.
Ventilation of the attic is vía an already existing window and small air vents installed along the sides. We didn’t touch the roof, though. lt is ful l of moss. And we like that.
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Client private
Place of location Wienerwald, Eichgraben
Planning 01 2015 – 06 2015
Construction time 07 2015 – 05 2016
Team Sue Anna Ladurner
Floor area 30m²
Photos Andreas Buchberger
