weingarten

by now, we are accustomed to the beauty of the vineyard-shaped landscapes of neustift, which emphasize the natural or man-made contours of the terrain. it is remarkable when the clients—a group of retirees—direct their attention to a small structure situated within a particular spatial context, forming a unified whole with the natural landscape. the retirees, who decided to devote themselves to viticulture out of pure passion, seek to experience the landscape with joy and to harvest both fruits and emotions.

the closed volume of 3 × 4 meters, roofed over only one third of its horizontal surface, creates a kind of lookout over the valley. the structure occupies the edge of a stone terracing, a natural stone wall typical of the wine-growing region, which has always been used to make the vineyard terrain accessible. the structure sits on the edge of this very stone terrace, which defines the cellar space, while the wooden structure above leans outward and becomes the defining element.

the small structure, built by the owners themselves—craftsmen in retirement and now farmers by pleasure—is equipped with a system of three ribs that support a shade-giving pergola. balustrades made of hail nets follow the smooth course of the retaining wall and thus oppose the geometric form of the terrace. the simple cube, clad in larch boards, serves on the one hand as a storage room and on the other as a tasting room, a meeting point, a social space, and a place of encounter located at the center of the platform.

on each side where the glued laminated beams protrude and form a small arbor, the cube can be completely opened with its foldable larch walls. Inside and outside merge in the midst of nature. For the vineyard hut, only local materials from the surrounding area were used. its interplay with the existing natural stone walls—and thus with the surroundings—and its approach to nature take center stage. as a fee for our work, we receive cartons of wine every year, the quality of which increases from year to year.