In Hardegg an der Thaya, Austria's smallest town, an inconspicuous building from the 1970s has undergone a major transformation. Away from the loose surrounding development, the building is hidden on a wooded hillside plot with a view of Hardegg Castle to the north. 

In the course of the conversion, the garage and gable roof were removed and the two-storey structure gained a completely new face. The building now presents itself as a clear cubature with a flat roof. The load-bearing structure is retained, but the winding floor plan is broken up and reorganised. On the upper floor, the building is extended by bay windows. These berths serve as guest areas, seating niches or loggias and open up specific views of the surroundings. 

The house is entered from the east via the existing entrance. The new staircase is positioned on the north side, creating an open area in the heart of the building instead of the old staircase. On the ground floor, the kitchen, dining and guest rooms will be created. Upstairs, space is created for three bedrooms, study, bathroom and a living room. The bunks can be flexibly added to the rooms as an extended living space, play or guest area. The opening in the ceiling of the old staircase is glazed, creating a view from the living room down to the kitchen on the ground floor.

The load-bearing structure of the existing building is retained. The bunks made of cross-laminated timber are connected to each other via the roof with the help of tension bands, thus balancing the loads. 

They are deliberately set apart from the plain silver fir façade by dark sheet metal cladding. The interior is kept calm with white plastered walls and light terrazzo tiles and complemented by silver fir furniture. The energy concept is deliberately designed to be simple and efficient with an air-source heat pump. The insulation made from renewable raw materials and the high proportion of local softwood reduce the ecological footprint.