The inner courtyard of the Basilisk House is one of the few original, preserved courtyards typical of Vienna.
The installation of an elevator in a small, historically significant house represents a massive intervention in the building structure.
In order to protect an important building stock, it is relatively common to place a lift as a free-standing element in the courtyard.
The weighing up of the values led to the decision not to make any structural changes to the courtyard and to preserve its characteristics.
With a deformation-compliant measurement of the house, we set out in search of a room reserve.
The conflict becomes apparent in the superposition of the organically grown floors with the prefabricated, millimeter-precise, highly industrial elevator.
By selectively removing and adding components, an exact vertical is created through all levels; from the stairwell, the lift seems to dance back and forth.
Walls with evaluated formwork blocks are partially added for a lift shaft,
parts of the existing walls or reveals were removed in a minimally invasive manner.
On the ground floor, the staircase was extended to include a Gothic vaulted former laundry room.
This is where the lift starts.
In order to create enough space for wheelchair users, the thick historic walls were partially rounded off along the turning radius.
The surface of the relief wall is made of stainless steel, which reflects the daylight from a window opposite.
On the ground floor, the lift is still next to the staircase, while on the upper floors there is a storage room of varying width and depth next to the lift and staircase.
One wall, behind which the lift and storage rooms are located on each floor, is designed as a relief and references the different vault shapes. Due to the deformation of the building and the strict verticality of the new lift, the lift doors appear to dance back and forth between the different floors.
Romanesque at its core, the Basilisk House has evolved over the centuries from Gothic to Baroque.
This can be seen today in the different vault shapes on each floor.
“The visible signs of maintenance, repair and patina contribute significantly to the authenticity. However, the design does not contrast with the historical space, but creates a new structural and architectural reading of the staircase.” (Friedrich Achleitner, 2005)
Romanesque at its core, the Basilisk House has evolved over the centuries from Gothic to Baroque.
This can be seen today in the different vault shapes on each floor, and on the top floor a flat translucent glass ceiling was installed as a contemporary interpretation of a vault at the top of the staircase.
On the top floor, the lift intervenes in the existing roof, which was no longer original due to a bomb hit during construction. This made it possible to enlarge the existing small roof terrace.
A covered area with shade and a sun deck with a view were created to differentiate the rooms.
When the components are joined together, space is created. Detail is created where the elements meet in the joint or where openings are inserted.
address:
Schönlaterngasse 6
1010 Vienna
client:
Family Prof. Achleitner
completion:
2005
building Supervision:
Arch DI Elisabeth Plank
statics:
Bollinger Grohmann Schneider
team:
Susanne Veit-Aschenbrenner, Oliver Aschenbrenner,
Dagmara Szmydke
pictures:
© Nadine Krier