Zuhaus – A House Within a House

On the EHAM premises in Hausham, a workshop and working environment has evolved over several decades. What was once planned as parking and garage space now accommodates the Zuhaus — or ZUH — as a structural continuation of this site. It complements the existing ensemble with precision and clarity, both functionally and architecturally.

As the site has grown, so too have working methods, spatial requirements, and forms of collaboration. ZUH responds with an independent architectural expression for contemporary work in a rural context. Existing structures are not simply continued but reinterpreted — through reduction, clarity, and a conscious approach to material, space, and detail.

The aim was to develop a spatial prototype for planning and focused work, prepared for future climatic and operational developments. The project was realized in close collaboration with Marie Eham and the Vienna-based architectural studio Ehrmann & Gruber, together with Dominik and Josef Eham and EHAM’s interior architecture department.

The design of ZUH is derived directly from the material itself. Its starting point was the wood stack — an everyday sight on the EHAM site. Layered boards that function through spacing, orientation, and air circulation. This principle was structurally translated into the building.

The façade is conceived as a multilayered system of untreated fir. Horizontally stacked slats simultaneously provide shading, weather protection, and a filtering effect. The resulting voids regulate light and climate while creating a gradual transition between exterior and interior.

The load-bearing structure is executed as a timber frame construction on a 2.5-meter grid. Column-free areas allow for flexible use. Walls and ceilings on the upper floor are made of untreated spruce and fir, while the floor is crafted from sanded ash. On the ground floor, a polished utility screed has been applied; areas in contact with the ground, as well as the elevator core, are realized in exposed concrete.

A central element on the upper floor is the perforated fir ceiling. The suspended, perforated wooden panels significantly improve room acoustics and are precisely integrated into the structural framework. Building services, ventilation, and technical systems are bundled within a central service core — visually reduced and functionally clear.

Details are deliberately restrained. Stainless steel switches are flush-mounted into the wooden surfaces, radii are softly shaped, and transitions between wall, window frame, and ceiling are precisely defined. Window frames in fir remain visible, as does the wood-fiber insulation in its constructive logic. Design here emerges not through addition, but through omission.

The building follows a sustainable approach throughout its entire life cycle. Cellulose and wood-fiber insulation, foam glass panels in ground-contact areas, a large-scale photovoltaic system, and the principle of disassembly enable long-term adaptability and reuse. The result is a workspace that makes its construction visible, allows materials to age naturally, and embodies flexibility not as a claim, but as a built reality.

Zuhaus is not conceived as a finished object, but as a building designed for long-term use and adaptability. Components can be dismantled, materials reused, and structures are conceived with flexibility in mind. Sustainability is considered across the entire life cycle — from planning and operation to potential repurposing or disassembly.

Completion: January 2026
Interior Architecture: EHAM GmbH & Marie Eham
Architectural Design / Concept: atelier ehrmann:gruber (Christina Ehrmann, Christopher Gruber) & Marie Eham
Photography: 8am.aesthetics + David Schreyer