House of Music Röthis A

In 2007 the community of Röthis, Austria announced an architectural competition for a multifunctional music venue, conceived as a catalyst for the regeneration of civic life in the local area. The intention was to locate the new building in the geographic centre of the village of Röthis, among the municipality’s other institutions. The precise placement preserves visibility of the neighbouring farmhouse’s main clock, as well as creating a well proportioned square enclosed by the working barn, mature trees and street. The new building houses one large and two smaller rehearsal rooms, as well as a thriving cafe and bakery. The Music House echoes the suburban domestic scale of its surroundings, and the static cubic form reinforces the idea of the building as the new centre of civic and social life in Röthis. The upper level contains the music society’s main rehearsal room, which is naturally lit from two sides. The windows have been fitted at an angle to create an optimal and distinctive acoustic environment for live performance. Along with a meeting room for the Music Society, the ground floor hosts a bakery and cafe facing the outdoor terrace. Individual rehearsal rooms are accommodated on the lower level facing a planted court. The load bearing structure consists of steel pillars and concrete floor slabs resting on concrete base, enclosed in suspended timber walls which fulfil low energy standards. The facade is finished in the timber shingles typical of the area. Vertical louvers in the facade reference traditional shading techniques and create rich, nuanced lighting inside.