A yacht-like “micro villa” on the Danube | SHARE Architects

February 19, 2014

This tiny vacation house is surprisingly close to the center of Vienna. It sits on the Alte Donau (Old Danube), a linear lake created when a portion of the Danube River channel was cut off by flood control measures. There are large apartment blocks only two hundred feet away, yet looking over the water towards the park on the opposite bank, it’d be easy to forget that you’re in a dense urban environment.

The small vacation house occupies a tiny building site about 11′ below street level. To preserve views for the apartment residents behind, the roofline was kept low, rising only a few feet above the sidewalk. Within those constraints, SHARE Architects was able to provide 45 m² (484 ft²) of floor space. They conceived the structure as a “micro villa”, offering all the comforts needed for full-time living within a tiny space. The architects say the design was inspired by luxury yachts, leading to the choices of glossy white exterior, wood terrace, angled windows and stainless steel railings.

The all-white scheme continues inside. Combined with the large windows and the light reflecting off the water, it makes for an extremely bright interior. Everybody has their own tastes, but we would have balanced the white with some wood finishes compatible with the nautical theme. The downstairs living area has a compact galley kitchen and a built-in cantilevered dining table. A mezzanine loft over the kitchen provides the sleeping quarters. The loft is suspended from the roof, leaving the lower level free of supporting columns. A tiny bathroom is tucked beneath the stairs.