Situated on the flat roof of a 1960s office building in the middle of the rooftop landscape of Vienna‘s fourth district, Ray 1 evolved out of the direct stimuli and spatial quality of the location. This origin, however, is by no means contradicted by the clash of the static mass and the dynamic form of architecture in motion; this juxtaposition rather serves to charge the structure. The new building evolved out of the connection between the two buildings on either side, continuing the line of projection of the gables and providing, as it were, the missing link.

The boundary between sky and earth, however, should not be taken as a dividing line separating the roof and the surrounding context, but as a permeable border zone that itself becomes a space for living. Recesses and folds create transparent zones and sheltered terraced landscapes on both sides of the building, providing opportunities for experiencing the structure‘s open layout, from the entrance all the way up to the accessible roof area. The outer skin, which is coated with Alucobond, defines the contours of the apartment‘s interior, suggesting varying valences for different zones and niches.

The intention was to create a shell that would function as a programmable medium for furniture; one would be transformed through the architecture. The interior space is designed as a loft whose various functional areas are defined by different floor levels.