NERMA LINSBERGER: M GRUND – Mühlgrund social housing - best architects 19

NERMA LINSBERGER

M GRUND – Mühlgrund social housing

best architects 19

multi-family homes

Place

Vienna / Austria

Photos

Wolfgang Herbst

Description

The introverted structure of the buildings responds to the heterogeneous composition of the surroundings. With well-defined edges on the north, east and west sides, the site opens up towards the south onto a broad landscape. Two courtyard buildings form an urban spatial sequence with views towards the south. Cuts, openings and large windows articulate the western, northern and eastern sides of the buildings, establishing a dialogue with the urban space. Striking openings of various shapes, sizes and heights in turn offer views into and out of the buildings as well as sight lines within, while allowing for several different routes through the property. The room modules form a simple but very lively network of spaces. Projecting arcades afford access to the flats while also serving as a place for residents to meet and communicate. The transparent façades feature alternating large and small openings that form exciting sequences and changing perspectives as well as vistas through the buildings and beyond. Within the overall complex, the courtyard houses thus lay claim to open spaces for themselves. To give the very compact apartments a little more space to «breathe», some of them have a living room with a ceiling height of four meters.