The Austrian Lake Residence

Norbert Hartl has spent 30 years in an idyllic 600-year-old mill on an Austrian river, but always knew that if he moved, it would only be to the shores of scenic Attersee. Having finally found the perfect plot, he commissioned five architect friends to create a modern yet timeless residence. Together with the chosen architectural firm Architekturbüro F2, he enlisted the expertise of interior designer Martin Steininger, general manager of Steininger Designers, and together they set out to create a design that included an ambitious use of Dekton®.

Dekton®, both indoors and outdoors. With an open mind and inspired by architects such as Calatrava, Norbert set about creating a house with a minimalist design and color palette. The key to this architectural success is the creative use of modern Dekton® throughout the house. Floors, kitchen surfaces, stairs, cladding, the material flows from outside to inside and connects the classic contemporary design.

Behind closed doors… The kitchen design, in the capable hands of Steininger, a staunch minimalist, led to appliances being hidden from view. Not just refrigerators, but almost everything functional is hidden behind “pocket doors” that open 90 degrees and slide into a narrow opening between units. The effect is that of a wall opening to reveal a kitchen, for example.

The doors open and the chef wakes up. As a newcomer to cooking, the owner discovered he had talent. He enjoys cooking with the local game he has stored in his vacuming drawer and slow-cooking it in the warming drawer. A separate room next to the kitchen-in-place houses Gaggenau refrigerators and wine air conditioners. Everything is at your fingertips, whether baking, reheating, steaming, sous-vide cooking or using induction. The integrated cooktop hood is the secret hero of open space, removing fumes, odors and heat right at the source.

On Steininger’s recommendation, Norbert visited the Gaggenau showroom in Vienna and was convinced: it had to be Gaggenau. Not only that, the kitchen design had to change to accommodate his desire for a larger 76 cm combination microwave, oven and warming drawer. He often uses the oven’s expanded brick accessory to make generous, crispy pizzas, while the combination steam oven and vacuum drawer together make sous-vide cooking effortless.

Architect: Architekturbüro F2
Photography: Matthew Gormly and Christoph Philadelphia