Casa Kostner

Artist House and Studio

Perched atop a ridge on the outskirts of the historic city-center, the house splits into two interlocking volumes to open up and look out over the valley of the South Tyrolean town of Castelrotto. A bifurcated concrete plinth negotiates the sloping site from which the twin wooden elements rise up on a stilted timber structure to free up the view across the site at the ground level.

Tightly wedged between the house that the artist grew up in and a neighboring traditional house; the constricted site prompted a more vertical solution where the roof plays a dominant role.

Joined together at the hip with a spiral staircase, the constituent programs of the atelier and the house pivot outwards and elbow their way into one volume or the other like two cantankerous siblings.

The work spaces of the artist’s studio, along with a small gallery, are located in the basement level and are accessed by a ramp to facilitate the loading and unloading of unwieldy materials and artwork. One of the work spaces is a double-height, north facing studio with an even, indirect sunlight ideal for artistic production.

At the ground level, the zigzag of the timber structure makes for a porticoed walkway that wraps around the retracted glass perimeter where one can look down into the double-height studio or step into the small office. The front entry is marked by the widening of the covered walkway to provide a spacious transition from outside to in.

The private quarters for the artist and his family are located on the upper levels: the kitchen, living room and main bedroom occupy the first floor while two separate rooms with adjoining bathrooms and separate staircases are nestled below the pitched roofs. The kitchen and living room share a south-facing terrace that serves as the entryway overhang below.

Castelrotto (BZ), 2013