Sustainability is about finding new solutions. But sometimes it is also about preserving old ones. In 2012, that was the case in the small Austrian village of Willendorf.
Here, a young fruit farmer wanted to create a modern, loft-like living space in his mother’s old farmhouse. A permit granted the owner the right to renovate the house to Active House standards: by building on the sprawling orchard – the Garden of Venus.
Willendorf is famous for its Venus of Willendorf, the most significant Upper Palaeolithic discovery found on Austrian soil. Willendorf is also known for fruit production – especially its Wachau apricots.
In other words, the community cares about its history and landscape. The young farmer was no exception: he wanted to keep his mother's home and fruit orchard that was part of the building site.