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| Vienna’s new Trespa Meteon and glass house  The Kai Stania private house, near Vienna, is a unique and stunning example of modern domestic architecture using large glazed walls framed with black Trespa Meteon panels. A stunning glass and black clad house has recently been completed near Vienna. The house was designed by well-known designer and architect Kai Stania to live and work in and to act as a marketing tool for his design business. It is situated on a tree-covered hillside with a stunning view over the city of Vienna 5km away. For his unusual home, the architect wanted to make a simple but very strong design statement. To achieve this and dramatise the building, he has used large areas of glass together with 462sqm of black Trespa Meteon cladding, an unusual colour for Austrian houses. The very smooth and glossy panel gives the appearance of black polished marble but is much warmer. The shiny surface also enhances the house by reflecting the trees and the environment. Kai Stania's design reputation, both for his architecture and his renowned furniture, is based on the perfect symbiosis between aesthetics and function. This is echoed in this two-storey house with its large floor to ceiling height triple glazed facades and contemporary furniture within. The house also features state-of-the-art heating technology based on an air exchange system and extraction of energy deep from the ground below. The architect chose Meteon panels because of their appearance and well-proven long life performance. The cost effective cladding system is environmentally friendly and sustainable. Importantly, the panels will retain their appearance over many years and their very smooth surface will require minimum maintenance. The overall appearance of the house, with its Meteon panels and glass facades, is that of a black jewel sparkling in the landscape; at night it also sparkles with artificial light. Kai Stania says, 'For me, this house has been a very personal adventure in design. It was a difficult task but I was greatly assisted by the professional help of my future wife. Together, we wanted to make a bold statement about design but, in spite of its openness, the house also had to be private and comfortable to live in. Naturally, it had to be a cost effective and sustainable building, attractive to look at, simple to build and one which brought together modern materials and technology. What I particularly like about architecture is its underestimated power to influence. This house in particular attracts a lot off attention; people are touched by it and like to talk about it.' write your comments about the article :: © 2009 Construction News :: home page |