Only 5m x 9m of land was available on a former vineyard slope in Dielsdorf after accounting for the required building setbacks. It was long considered impossible to develop this tiny lot, which offered a mere 82m2 of above-ground living space. There was no room for a traditional residential structure with thick exterior walls and conventional access stairs and circulation areas.

Unity of space and structure – The sculptural supporting structure in black reinforced concrete is a defining element, seamlessly integrating walls, ceilings, floors, and even the bookshelf. It avoids additional layers such as underlayment, impact sound insulation, flooring, plastering, or paint that would otherwise conceal the supporting structure. The dwelling is reduced to its elementary concrete structure, supplemented by handmade furniture and enveloped in glass.

The building is accessed through the underground carport, leading to a foyer with heights up to 5.44m. Arranged around this entrée are the basement, a service room, and a double bedroom with bath. Some of these rooms feature exceptionally high ceilings, while a skylight fills the lower area with natural light. This double-sized room is sectioned in the middle by a wall that is anchored below the floor slab to a concrete beam, acting as the abutment for the main central wall. Stairs lead upward to the concrete bookcase, which serves as a transverse stiffener for the supporting structure. At this point, the different landings and stairs create a continuous sequence of diverse living environments: Office 4.6m2; dining 10.5m2; multipurpose area 7.9m2; kitchen 6.7m2; storage 5.2m2; reading corner/guest area 4.8m2; living room 15.4m2; bathroom 7.5m2; dressing room 3.8m2; and bedroom with freestanding bathtub 11.4m2.

The windows have no hidden structural supports but are pure ballast suspended in front of the structure, like grapes hanging from a vine. The landings with their staggered ceilings cantilever from the sole supporting central wall, reminiscent of a trunk with protruding branches. Like the roots of a grapevine, the basement level anchors the structure in the ground. The dwelling on the vineyard slope adopts the logic of a grapevine, with a load-bearing central wall, platforms, and curtain wall windows following the structure of the vine, its branches, and hanging grapes.