A coherent concept for contemporary single family houses, developed over 30 years and presented in 18 realised buildings. Michael Szyszkowitz and Karla Kowalski are amongst the leading exponents of the new Graz architecture in Austria. They perceive architecture as a way of imbuing structures with meaning, an approach which they share with such visionaries in single-family housing as Hans Scharoun or Frank Lloyd Wright. The private residence can be seen as a field for experimenting with various room concepts. In this volume, 18 houses are presented which convey the richness and diversity of possibilities which emerge from this approach to architecture. The renowned architecture historian and theoretician Karin Wilhelm takes an analytical look at the design process and conceptional models which underlie this architecture. The layout of rooms and the materials chosen are also discussed as are the individual forms. Of primary importance are the needs of the users which influence the social and individual dimensions of the building to a greater extent than in any other building type.

The book goes on to document houses built between 1973 and 2002 with detailed plans drawn to scale, selected sketches and photos. The approach to single-family housing presented here demonstrates convincingly that "the yearning for paradise can be integrated into the phenomenon of architecture" (Karla Kowalski).