Architects: Roger Boltshauser
Year: 2008
Co-Designer: Martin Rauch
Photographs: Beat Bühler
Village: Schlins
Country: Austria
Rauch House, a residential project by Roger Boltshauser and Martin Rauch in Schlins, Vorarlberg, Austria, was developed through continuous material experimentation. Positioned on a hillside, the house is built using earth excavated from the site, forming a structure that interacts with the valley through shifting volumes and large openings. The project embodies Rauch’s vision of “building contemporary forms,” with erosion checks—handmade clay bricks—regulating water flow while creating horizontal striations that merge with the rammed-earth walls. The interior maintains this tactile quality, especially in the oval staircase space, where ascending through a vertical tunnel of clay reinforces the material’s presence. The house balances function and form within its rectangular volume, offering refined living spaces lined with white clay and quartz sand, contrasting with exposed clay and handmade tiles.
Designed in collaboration with architect Roger Boltshauser, Rauch House is situated in Schlins, Vorarlberg, Austria, overlooking the village. The design involved continuous experimentation, as many of its technical aspects were unprecedented. Embedded into the hillside, the house is constructed using earth excavated from the site and extends toward the valley with a composition of shifting volumes and generous openings.
The house exemplifies Rauch’s commitment to “building contemporary forms.” Its exterior rhythm is shaped by erosion checks, consisting of handmade clay bricks by Rauch, designed to slow water flow across the surface. These bricks create horizontal stripes, with a crayon-like softness that blends into the rammed-earth walls. This emphasis on materiality and texture continues inside, particularly in the oval stairwell, where the haptic qualities of the earth are highlighted. Moving through the house involves ascending a dramatic vertical clay tunnel, reinforcing the immersive experience of earthen construction. The design achieves a harmonious balance, accommodating living needs within the constraints of the rectangular volume.
The form is defined by clarity and precision, while the interior spaces, lined with gleaming white clay and quartz sand, create sleek, refined rooms that frame views of the expansive surrounding landscape. Throughout the house, an increasing level of refinement is evident, from smooth, silken surfaces to handmade tiles and exposed coarse clay, illustrating a narrative of transformation that lies at the heart of both the project and Rauch’s broader body of work.
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Project Location
Address: Schlins, Vorarlberg, Austria
Location is for general reference and may represent a city or country, not necessarily a precise address.
