This urban plan of approximately 400 homes/1350 inhabitants is located on the hill above a historic village and proposes housing ‘in the landscape’. Natural buffer zones on the borders that enable biodiversity to enter the area. Layout and building types are based upon traditional, local structures that echo the genius loci.
The plan follows the topography and communal functions like a kindergarten are situated at a central meadow on the highest spot. Short roads lead to parking underneath the larger buildings (2 lots per home in max. 50m distance). The setup faces to the South, and there are backyard and/or front side gardens.
The larger courtyard building offers (wind-) protected outside space for the kids to play and the neighbors to meet. The variety of building types enables a mix of inhabitants, combing living and working and collective spaces for young and old to meet. The use of materials follows ‘urban codes’ of local, traditional buildings (red roofs, local stone, wood, planting).
Ecology is an important factor in this plan. Saving energy, there are only conjunct homes (no free standing single family houses), reducing the façade surfaces. The homes are designed as low energy houses with low temperature floor heating and mechanic ventilation systems. Solar collectors and photovoltaic cells on the roofs produce electricity next to warm water delivered by geothermal pumps.
Project type: Preliminary design for an urban master plan (won, invited comission)
Commissioned by: Municipality of Ansfelden
Location: Ansfelden (AT)
Date: 2008
Collaborators: Manfred Hödlmoser and Norbert Trolf.