Evergreen
Vision
VILLA 4P — Graz (A)
Villa 4P is built on several levels to follow the natural slope of the terrain and blends in with the surrounding vegetation.
A relatively steep hillside plot with a magnificent view over Graz and the desire to connect house and garden were the specifications for the design of Villa 4P. The basic idea was to follow the topography of the slope with a sequence of levels on which the villa can present itself with its rooms, zones, outdoor areas, and also terraces and pool. The entrance and access are via the front area and the carport at the upper, narrow end of the plot.
The top level, entirely facing the fantastic view, houses the living rooms, eat-in kitchen, and the parents’ area with master bedroom and bathroom.
A terraced landscape then leads to the pool and on to the lowest level with the bedrooms and bathrooms for children and guests and also on to the garden. The large tent-like roof spans this terraced landscape, forming the actual house with covered outdoor areas.
This all makes for a complex interplay of above and below, inside and outside, an interplay of extroverted, open to the outside and introverted, retreat, and security.
Wherever possible, it was important for us to use raw and natural materials with a high tactile quality such as wood and exposed concrete.
The result is a sequence of plateaus, like Asian rice terraces following the slope, which are used in different ways: entrance, living areas, covered outdoor lounges, outdoor kitchen, pool deck, terraces, various plant plateaus, meadows and a grove, etc. Indoor and outdoor areas both form an integrated whole, so it feels like “the whole property is my house.
Brainchild of garden and landscaping
The landscape concept for the Villa 4P garden was created based on usability of the terrain, challenges of climate change, and protection of native insect diversity. The very steep slopes, making them unusable for Villa 4P residents, were used for sustainable perennial shrub plantings to add color and texture to the garden from spring to late fall. The prairie perennials and grasses used can manage year-round without supplemental irrigation. These areas provide the ideal refuge for dwindling insect diversity in this country. In order to be able to use the entire garden, a raised bed and stair combination made of Corten steel was installed to connect both levels. To give the garden the necessary privacy, hornbeams and drought-tolerant Leyland cypresses were planted in appropriate sizes.
