LEE - residential building on Leebgasse

In the concrete jungle of the city, in the gray maze of streets in the Favoriten district, an evergreen oasis has emerged against the backdrop of historical facades. The residential building on Leebgasse captivates primarily with its lightness and variability. “Building a flexible box is a bit too little,” claims querkraft, “the building needs a face, especially in the case of social housing.” From house number 46, blades and stems jut into the street. The surroundings confront with their contrast, colorfulness, airiness, and openness. The main material of the outer shell is glass. As a counterpoint, the walkable ledges protrude into the street from the loggias located in the courtyard - this is the definition of narrow walkways according to building law. Balconies are prohibited here. Moreover, they are also glazed. Stephanie Lichtwitz - known for her graphic design of the cultural center in Graz - had the glass panels printed with an irregular weave of green flora. Thus, she played out a flexible jungle on the facade in stimulating shades of green. The simplified image of a meadow, replaced by simple blades, sparks imagination. It does not lose its charm even in dreary autumn or freezing winter days. In an optical play, the graphic greenery casts impressive shadows on its surroundings and optically filters the gray environment. For the interior, it is purely functional, while for the exterior, it is urban poetry. Balcony doors are distributed between them. The colorful panels optically partially close and rhythmize the maximally open and transparent facade. At the same time, they serve as a through - connecting - element and allow for complete integration with the surroundings. With this “measure,” the facade is reduced to a minimum. In terms of size and conception, the apartments are maximally variable. The basis is a reinforced concrete skeleton and a compact service core in the less brightly lit central part. Around are flexibly arranged partitions. The structure is open to every solution. All three principles can be realized, independently selectable by future owners - to the west into the courtyard, where a generous balcony invites to “breakfast in the grass,” to the east into a quiet street, or transverse orientation. Although the sanitary cores are designed compactly and reduced, with a freely positioned kitchen, they are also prepared for potential future conversions into luxurious fittings. The apartments feature a cantilevered balcony of varying depths, which dynamically reflects from the facade in the courtyard. It is accessible by two steps. The first is a movable “step,” the second is a bench that runs along the entire facade at the same level as the balcony, enticing for a “sunbathing.” The elevated position of the balconies - 43 cm above the floor level - and the solution without lintels bring generous illumination. The elevation on the ground floor is meant for duplex living - given its double height - especially spacious and sunny. The entrance foyer with glass elements feels airy. On the sides, bicycles are parked in colorful niches on slender steel columns. The asphalt surface of the sidewalk continues seamlessly into the entrance areas. A purist staircase made of exposed concrete, combined with wire mesh, leads to the apartment units. The yellow elevator and the entrance doors of the apartments provide a well-coordinated orientation.