Hohlen House, Dornbirn

A family home with a penchant for good light

Architect Christian Mörschel and his family of five spent seven long years looking for the perfect spot for a new home. They found it on a grassy slope 150 metres above Dornbirn in the Austrian province of Vorarlberg. Nestled between forest and fields, an architecturally unique family home was constructed that allowed architect, contractor and owner Mörschel to fulfil a dream held by his family for many years. A home that is illuminated inside and out by BEGA luminaires.

Looking out into the distance through the glass façade of Hohlen House, you get a real sense of depth. Virtually alone with nothing but nature all around, with views as far as the neighbouring countries: the mountains of Switzerland and a small corner of Lake Constance. Christian Mörschel and his family built a home on their almost 1400-square-metre plot of land on the steep meadows above Dornbirn that – with 240 square metres of living space, 100 square metres of balcony and patio space and almost three-metre-high ceilings – conveys true sense of space. The simple two-storey building with clear forms features just a few harmonious materials and colours. The ground floor is pushed fully into the hillside, providing a solid foundation for the upper floor, which has a light and transparent feel about it thanks to its extensive, floor-to-ceiling glass façades.

BEGA luminaires are used throughout the house and its surroundings: LED garden and pathway luminaires along both sides of the driveway lead the way to the entrance of the house with directed, glare-free light. On arrival, DALI-controllable LED compact downlights along the façade and under the roof canopy create a clear and inviting ambiance with symmetrical, wide-beam light distribution. LED compact floodlights with earth spikes decoratively highlight a nearby tree.

Inside the house; velvet black, shielded STUDIO LINE LED pendant luminaires with brass-tone interior appear to hover over the standalone kitchen island, while the dining tables in the cleverly divided living area are illuminated by the narrow, elongated variant of the pendant luminaires from the same series. Shielded STUDIO LINE LED ceiling luminaires emphasises the spacious and warm impression of the hallways, bathroom and cloakroom. BEGA luminaires in the Hohlen House thereby contribute to the harmonious and lively overall impression of this extraordinary family home.


Client Mörschel Family, Dornbirn (Austria) Architecture JUNIWIND ARCHITEKTUR, Dornbirn Builders Moosbrugger Muxel Bau GmbH, Schoppernau Electrical Planning and Installation i-TEC Industrieelektrik GmbH, Lauterach Earthworks Hugo & Franz Höfle GmbH, Lauterach