Firm Architekten has extended a gabled farmhouse in Bezau, Austria, with a matching structure clad in timber louvres that double as shutters.
Raised on a small white-plastered podium, House Wünster faces out towards dramatic views of mountains.

The House Wünster extension sits alongside the original shingle-walled farmhouse building, united by a pitched roof that extends across them both.
In a contemporary take on the traditional shutters of the farmhouse, the upper level of the extension features panels of timber louvres that can swing upwards.

These shutters completely open the bedrooms to sunlight and views, while shading them from the direct southern sunlight.
"The shutters filter the light and create breathtaking panoramic views of the mountains," said the architecture studio. "The balcony becomes an extension of the interior".

When closed, the only openings in the south facade are a large set of windows in the combined living, kitchen and dining area. A large window to the west also brings evening light into the dining area.

Occupying the site of a former stable that abutted the original house, Firm Architekten's design continues the roofline and pedestal of the existing building, while clearly defining the facade of the contemporary addition.

"Formally, the existing and the new building should appear as one building," said the architecture studio.
"This is done with the continuous roof and an immediate pedestal."

As th...