House as a high-mountain mirror

If you belong to the lovers of the harsh high mountain environment, then Eastern Tyrol will certainly amaze you: stunning landscapes, majestic mountain peaks, and perfectly clean air. All of this captivated architect Jan Werner many years ago, who built the true high-altitude oasis of calm here for a dentist's family from Austrian Dölsach.

Eastern Tyrol has been the architect's love since childhood, and he always tried to escape to the mountains during his free time. His relationship with nature and natural materials led him to carpentry and working with wood, but he later decided to move to Graz. There, he studied architecture and subsequently settled permanently. The beginnings of his career were not entirely easy, but over time he established a stable position in the field. Today, he runs his own architectural studio and also teaches students at the university.

Above all, be original

Weber's approach could be summed up in one word: "originality." Nothing is as important to him as a solution tailored precisely to the needs of the specific client. "I aim to meet the needs of each client as much as possible, considering how they live, what they like, and what their ideas about their living space are. My own concepts are not important at all in this regard, because I am just the architect and not the homeowner. I try not to forget this throughout the entire process," Werner recounts. It is also important for him to work with natural materials during construction, thereby emphasizing the ecological sustainability of the building.

Nature was indeed an inspiration for him even during the realization of the family villa in Dölsach. He drew inspiration from the gray-green stone serpentine, which is abundant in the area. He also tried to be as environmentally friendly as possible by installing solar panels on the roof for electricity production and using an ecological heat pump for heating during the winter months. The principles of sustainability are further supported by the materials used – besides wood, primarily the aluminum facade panels from PREFA. They have an admirably long lifespan and come with a warranty of up to 40 years. They are made from recycled aluminum and can be recycled again.

A house that breathes with its surroundings

The building completely adapts to the surrounding landscape and respects it fully. The use of large-format glass panels on the facade makes the house a huge mirror, in which the snowy high mountain peaks are impressively reflected. Moreover, the owners are offered a literally fascinating view of the landscape. The comfort of the inhabitants is then taken care of by a hanging aluminum ventilated facade system PREFA, which ensures optimal indoor climate throughout the year.

PREFA materials are absolutely perfect for use in extreme high mountain conditions due to their long lifespan and colorfastness, and their health safety and recyclability also speak for their use. "We appreciated all of this not only during the installation of the roof made of PREFA roof panels but also on the facade of the same brand. We used panels FX.12, which create uniquely beautiful light refractions and elevate the facade optically to a much higher level," Werner concludes.

About the project

Project name: House K.
Building, location: family house, Lienz, Austria
Type of building: new construction
Architects: Jaweco Studio, Arch. Jan Werner
Realization: MSGO GmbH, Gerald Ortner
Facade type: PREFA roof and facade panel FX.12
Facade color: P.10 light gray
PHOTOGRAPHY: Croce & WIR