Two-faced Austrian house hides a surprising subterranean wine cellar

This Austrian home is more than what meets the eye at street level.

Design firms March Gut and Wolfgang Wimmer renovated and enlarged the existing structure into the face for Clemens Strobl, an Austrian boutique winery. The recently converted building, called the Stroblkeller, hides a sleek and contemporary interior that dips down underground into a windowless and impressively large wine storage cellar.

While the front of the Stroblkeller matches the modest aesthetic of the surrounding buildings, its low-key exterior contrasts dramatically with the contemporary rear facade and minimalist interior. The back of the building takes on a sleek angular form and is defined by a large geometric glazed opening that overlooks vineyards. The glazed opening and high vaulted ceilings pour natural light into the first floor, which serves as the fine foods dining area. A temporary bedroom is located on the top floor.

In contrast to the bright and airy first floor, the subterranean wine storage cellar is a more intimate space, with dim lighting, sound absorption, and an absence of natural light. The cellar is housed in an underground brick tunnel and the floor is covered in white stone gravel. The ground floor is an intermediary space between the wine cellar and the first floor, and serves as the wine tasting room. The interior is minimally furnished with wooden furniture, black steel accents, contemporary lighting fixtures, and white walls.