2inOne

Two houses in Morzg. Salzburg, 2016

2inOne is an integration exercise within the urban fabric. The plot is located in Gneis, a suburban area of the city of Salzburg characterized by a dense fabric of single-family homes that, over time and as a result of successive segregations, “residual” plots have emerged which, due to their size, proportions or orientation, are less attractive for real estate development.

With a 60x14m dimension along its north-south direction and enclosed between buildings; the plot has been preserved unbuilt. Our project tries to take advantage of those limitations, generating the opportunity to experiment with the traditional housing typology.

The intervention presents a simple and clear architectural idea. An elongated gabled element houses two independent dwellings, separated and tied down at the same time by a slab with a double function: common garage roof and “garden” floor of the back house. Due to the plot's narrowness and local regulations, a gabled roof is chosen to minimize the eave's height while creating a generous interior space. All private areas are housed within the massive concrete structure plinth, freeing the upper floor, made of metal and timber structure, as a completely open-plan space for the living areas, enjoying the views of the Alps and rising above the neighbouring houses.

The project, with a clearly contemporary vocation, resonates the surrounding traditional architecture thus integrating itself into its immediate environment.