Channelbeta - Projects - Tetris Haus

Tetris House derived from turning very pragmatic parameters into a spatially engaging concept: multiple programmatic demands (five self contained units, parking space and exterior areas, potential archeological site) have initiated two volumes. L- shaped in plan and section they are spatially interwoven as to produce a range of dynamicin – between spaces.
The building is organized into two volumes which divide the “private villa” of the client with ist own indipendent access from the small unites which are rented out.
An open staircase between the two parts provides the access for the small units and the common spaces which are put in the underground level. Each volume cantilevers about five meters in order to provide covered parking. The cantiliver whose structural forces are legible in the wall and the ceiling planes is the result of a series of demands and restrictions from the local government on the one hand and the client on the other.
The building site is considered to sit on a potential archeological spot with remainigs from a roman settlement. In order to avoid exessive expenses for an archeological excavation process we kept the footprint as small as possible. Respecting the local limitation in hight development and wanting to realize the possible allowed size we ended up to propose a cantiliver of the separted volumes.
Local materials such are local larch wood are used throughout the design: in the outside as covering façade material , in the inside the wood is used with a white tint. The outside sloped and shaped façade continues in the inside as a built – in sideboard that turns into a series of steps and plinth beneath the internal stairs.

Plasma Studio - Eva Castro, Holger Kehne, Ulla Hell

Unit 51- Regent Studios
8 Andrews Road
UK- London E8 4QN

Lanerweg 18
39030 Sesto (Bolzano)
ITALY

PROJECT DATA

PROJECT : Multi unit complex

LOCATIONE : Innichen/San Candido Italy

SIZE : 550m²a

COMPLETED : December 2006

CREDITS

CLIENT : privat/ Waltraud Schäfer, Christoph Pezzei

TIME : March - November 2006

ARCHITECTURE : Plasma Studio (E. Castro , H. Kehne, U. Hell)

STRUCTURAL ENGENEER : Ing. Andreas Erlacher

SERVICES ENGEER: Ekon - Bruneck

CONTRATCOR:

WOODEN STRUCTURE: Konsortium Südtirolhaus

GENERAL CONTRACTOR: schurtschenthaler Werner

METALL WORKS: Firma Weitlaner/Innichen/ Italy

SEALING WORKS : Firma Bauplus/Bruneck

METALL SHEETS : Firma Robert Messner/Rasen/Italy

WINDOWS : Tecnofenster/Niederdorf/Italy

DOOR : Türen Gruber/ Bruneck/Italy

PLASTER WORKS : Firma Emmbau, Bruneck/Italy

KITCHEN: : Aschbacher Franz , Campo Tures/Italy

TILES : Bauexpert

SANITARY INSTALLATION: Firma Kammerer/ Villabassa/Italy

WOODEN DOORS: Gruber Türen

EPOXY COATING BATHROOMS: Mair Gert, Niederdorf/Italy

ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION : Paul Fuchs

WOODEN FLOOR : Pargger Helmuth

FURNITURE : Gustav Sulzenbacher, San Candido/Italy

LINKS:

PLASMA STUDIO_Video

Plasma Studio

Cristobal Palma

Next generation Award

FIRM BRIEF:

The term Plasma comes from Classic Greek and means modeling, form, fabric, imagination, fiction.
In Physics, the Plasma State- or fourth state of matter- describes a unique condition of matter arising at a complex overlay of external forces. Plasma, a charged field of particles, conducts energy.

Plasma Studio was founded by Eva Castro and Holger Kehne in London in 1999 and quickly came to recognition through a range of small innovative residential and commercial refurbishment projects in London, that all share a consistency in innovation, appropriateness and quality.

Since then Plasma has expanded into Europe with a second office location in Sesto near Bolzano, Italy, lead by partner Ulla Hell.
These two studio locations work dialectically: in London its multicultural staff is immersed in a fast-moving, diverse and urban culture, whereas in Bolzano- an area of outstanding natural beauty and strong local crafts tradition- the work is developed from engaging with nature, the landscape and local materials.

Form, space, experience
The studio is best known for its architectural use of form and geometry. Shifts, folds and bends create surface continuities that are never arbitrary but part of the spatial and structural organisation. Space becomes expanded, new potentials arise, new experiences abound. A reduced palette of materials and colors with minimal clean detailing is used in order to let dynamic ephemeral events, such as light changes, reflections and people’s movements happen and be noticed.

Programme, organization, performance
As importantly, each project is geared towards maximizing space, performance and value through highly creative, open minded and skilful work processes. Starting with a careful analysis of the site and the brief, the studio develops together with the client a thorough framework of the contrains, objectives and potentials. Tangible and intangible parameters, such as material, light, structure, budget, usage patterns, atmosphere, weathering etc are all equally processed as determining forces.

Technology, sustainability, collaboration
The spirit and techniques of inclusiveness, collaboration, life-cycle engineering and full sustainability are guided by the academic research of both partners at the Architectural Association and its collaboration with leading consultants such as Arup. Working on the limits of current computer-aided design tools, sophisticated environmental analysis software and parametric dynamic modelling, Plasma is contributing to a more transparent, complex and interactive development process that connects designers, clients, consultants and fabricators at once.