Situated in peaceful Burgenland in eastern Austria, this “house with an elephant’s skin” might, at first sight, alienate some people. On the other hand, net construction costs of only 75,000 for roughly 100 m2 floor area and a construction period of only three months should convince even sceptics. The architects saw the tight budget of their client as both a challenge and an opportunity. In drawing up the spatial programme and determining the layout, they concentrated on essentials. A central services core was created with a solid substructure. Attached to the core on one side is the main kitchen-cum-living space and on the other side, the bedrooms. These areas were executed in a purely timber form of construction and are supported on longitudinal walls that are slightly different in height.