Close to nature, eco-friendly home and work base at once: the home of designer couple Volkmar and Catharina Weiss fulfils the role of a shelter offering peace and quiet and a workplace at the same time. The house called Thurnberg is located in Austria, in the woodlands of Waldviertel region.
Volkmar and Catharina Weiss run their agency Vald together. A few years ago they realized that they needed to retreat into nature, thus placing more emphasis on creating a balance between their work and family life. This is why they decided to relocate from the Vienna base to the Waldviertel region, so that they could bring to life a working and living space that is closer to nature.
Sustainability plays a central role in both their lifestyle and work, therefore the house of only 90 square meters is in complete harmony with the surrounding woods. It received a black, charred larch wood cladding – this is what gives the distinct and unique character of the house. “It’s not only a Japanese tradition [the burnt wood technique of Shou Sugi Ban]; farmers in Austria – a long time ago, in the Alps – also fired their wood huts’ exteriors to make them more durable and better against the harsh weather here” – highlighted the designer duo in their interview with Wallpaper.
Volkmar and Catharina worked with Vienna based architect studio Backraum on the complete renovation of their house. The larch cladding of the building is complemented by a concrete base, while its interior is furnished with furniture made of spruce and topped off with a fireplace.
Source: Wallpaper
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