Prague-based architectural firm Jan Tyrpekl designed the 30-square-meter retreat, aptly called Zen House, in the serene landscape of Austria’s Hainburg an der Donau town. It’s nestled among a young orchard and mature trees and perched four meters above the ground on concrete pillars.
The structure is built as a recreational spot where it offers a unique experience in nature, where one can relax, sleep, camp by the fire, or engage in short meaningful or bonding activities with peers or the family. The house is in a secluded place which is part of a farming complex used for animal husbandry and social events.
Zen House features an archetypal shape with the concrete pillars allowing air to pass under and through the structure freely. The gap between pillars make it possible to build a shower, toilet, or a sauna in the future. Meanwhile, glazed walls connects indoors to the outdoors and brightens up the space. Curtains draped across the glazing offer privacy when needed.
Inside is a built-in bar, a connected bed and at its foot is a fireplace and a couple of lounge chairs. Between these elements is a transition zone with two opposite portals, from which one can access the open terrace. A staircase leads directly to the terrace from the ground.
The lower part of the Zen House and the terrace is constructed from glued larch prisms. The structure itself is built from a wooden skeleton made of spruce glued prisms. This skeleton is located on CLT solid wood panels and are also used on the supporting shell of the roof structure.
Learn More Here
Images courtesy of Jan Tyrpekl
