All-round style

What a view! One look at this villa is enough to tell you that it is the culmination of two people’s unique dream. It is a building that leaves a lasting impression in many ways – and from every side. And beneath its exterior, it also hides quite the surprise.

Imposing and elegant villas are hardly uncommon in Vienna – and especially not in Döbling, the 19th-century district that has long been home to the Austrian capital’s rich and wealthy. Yet one entrepreneurial family’s new home stands out even amongst its prominent neighbours. At first glance, it looks like an extremely well-maintained villa that dates back to when the city was first founded. In fact, however, it is a new build. The two owners have a real soft spot for the art nouveau style, so they wanted a house that offers all the comforts of modern life while still radiating the elegant charm of an old villa.
 

Like the gardens of a baroque palace

Upon entering the stairwell, which is located in the exact centre of the villa, guests are greeted by a stylish chandelier. White ceilings, grey walls with understated lamps, partially glazed doors and the chequered white-and-anthracite floor leave a lasting impression on the onlooker. A grand staircase leads up to the top two floors. But it is the first step into the villa’s kitchen and dining area on the garden side of the house that truly takes your breath away. Just like the salon, the room spans the full width of the house. But thanks to a large bi-folding door, the facade can be opened up across a width of over six metres to create a stage truly worthy of the great outdoors. 

Light and glass combine to create a unique ambience 

The view overlooks a symmetrical, terraced garden with steps and brickwork, interspersed with small trees, bushes, hedges and water features. The whole scene is reminiscent of the feudal gardens of a baroque palace. However, this illusion is broken when you reach the far end of the garden, which is home to a modern infinity pool with a patio and a pool house with a five-metre-wide bi-folding door. The view from up here over the terraced garden and onto the top of the villa is stunning.

The bi-folding doors were provided by German manufacturer Solarlux, a company that specialises in glass facade constructions. They can be folded open across their entire width, sliding away to the side where they are stored almost completely out of site. Even when closed, they let plenty of light into the unusual villa thanks to their slender profiles.