Renovation Rietveld House, Werkbundsiedlung Vienna

Silja Tillner

House Rietveld,1931
The house in the Werkbundsiedlung, designed by Gerrit Rietveld in 1931, has been faithfully restored. The restoration was carried out in close coordination with the Austrian Federal Monuments Authority. The building, with its five split-level floors, was renovated in meticulous detail, and the original spatial layout, lighting, and color concepts were reinstated. The renovation was carried out in 3 phases because of the ruinous state of the building in 2000. Firstly, all the previous changes had to be reversed, e.g. closed windows and doors reopened, all installations had to be replaced in 2022, a photovoltaic system was officially approved by both the building authorities and the Austrian Federal Monuments Authority and installed on the roof.
There are four row houses, each with a net floor area of 101m2, arranged across three stories on five levels. Gerrit Rietveld differentiated the spaces in a spiral manner according to their functions and heights. The northern half features two lower and one higher room on the upper floor, while the southern half is defined by a tall, distinctive, and airy living space on the ground floor with two lower levels above. All other rooms connect to the staircase at various levels. The narrow, efficient „Dutch" spiral staircase was unusual in Austria then and remains so today. It did not comply with building regulations even in 1931 and required a special exemption. To create a sense of spatial continuity and bring light into the otherwise dark core, Rietveld used glass doors and windows facing the living room, bathroom, and north-facing terrace. In this way, the staircase became both a spatial and sensory experience.
Circulation within the house begins with a narrow, low entrance area. From there, the kitchen, living room, and staircase are accessible. The tight spiral staircase was renovated. A small bedroom was transformed into a contemporary bath-room.

Project Gallery

Rietveld Haus street-view

rietveld_staircase

Haus Rietveld south facade

Silja Tillner AT

http://www.tw-arch.at
Margaretenplatz 7/2/1 | 1050 Vienna