dunkelschwarz mit huber+theissl architekten

Description

The Ceconi Villa, a listed building in the «Rauchmühle» ensemble, was transformed into a modern office building under careful consideration of its historical significance, typology and structure. The unusable attic space was demolished and replaced by a modern timber construction. One of the BDA’s requirements was that the villa’s façade should not be significantly altered. At the rear – facing the newly developed plot – the extension presents itself as a self-confident addition that completes the building in a new way. The entrance was moved from the rear to a more prominent position in keeping with the overall ensemble and accentuated with a canopy. The heritage building was largely preserved and carefully renovated. Portals made of larch wood and glass upgrade the existing staircase in terms of fire safety and divide each floor into two units. The installation of a lift enables barrier-free use of the building. Thanks to the lightweight timber construction of the new storey and the cavity floor, less weight is placed on the existing building. The timber construction also had the advantage of allowing the roof structure to appear from the inside and outside as an open, all-round glazed, lightweight addition – an intervention that brings the building into the present. A usable outdoor area running the entire length of the building forms a break with the existing gable and brings light into the roof space from all sides.