Haus Scheu, Town house in Hietzing, Vienna, Austria.
Haus Scheu is a residential building in Hietzing with an asymmetrical tiered design comprising two sections: a main living area and a separate attic apartment spanning about 16 meters in length. The structure extends across four interior levels with east-facing bedrooms opening onto deep balconies.
Architect Adolf Loos built this residence between 1912 and 1913 for lawyer Gustav Scheu and his wife Helen. The building was an early example of flat roof construction and already showcased Loos' innovative design philosophy of that era.
Gustav Scheu, a lawyer close to the Garden City Movement and the Austrian Socialist Party, commissioned the house from Adolf Loos. Hietzing residents called the flat-roofed design an insult to common sense; Loos responded by planting ivy on the garden facade to soften its severity.
Haus Scheu is a private residence and cannot be visited inside. From the street in Hietzing, look for the flat roof and the three tall windows above the main entrance, which light the spiral stair to the separate upper apartment. The garden facade was softened with ivy planted at Loos's suggestion.
The basement of the house is naturally lit, showing a rare solution for underground living spaces in town houses. This clever approach allows the lower level to not feel dark or confined, as is typical with many basement areas.
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