Haus für Musiker

Alsace, France

Project: A single detached house for two musicians, direct comission, 2014-2016 
Location: Wentzwiller, France
Client: private
Team: Shadi Rahbaran, Ursula Hürzeler, Luis Soares, Julian Nieciecki, Bartłomiej Markowski, Dominic Stähli, Lisa Tran
Site management: CRM Fabrice Morganti, Altkirch, France
Photos: Julien Lanoo (except no. 17-19)

click here to see Pavillon de la musique


The timber house is situated at the edge of the small Alsatian French village of Wentzwiller and looks out towards the open farmlands and distant hills of the region. The house is constructed entirely from wood which ties it to its rural context, and unites all living spaces under one large folded roof. Its L-shaped form wraps itself around the north-east corner of the site taking advantage of the west light and framing the open landscape. The opaque façade of the north-east elevation acts as an intermediate filter between the village and the house, while the transparent façade towards the open fields blurs the threshold between interior and exterior. Responding to the specific needs of the clients - two musicians - the ground floor holds the various living areas in a fluent sequence of interrelated spaces. This organization allows for flexible arrangements, such as large connectible rooms to host music concerts both indoors and outdoors, or small, separable rooms for rehearsals. The loft space under the roof on the first floor occupies the private quarters of the house. This sectional play of single and double storey heights allows for interactive cross-views through the house and out to the scenic landscape.