Embodiments include transistor devices and a method of forming the transistor devices. A transistor device includes a first conductive layer over a substrate, a first transistor having first interconnects in the first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer on an insulating layer that is on the first conductive layer. The transistor device also includes a second transistor having second interconnects in the second conductive layer, and a gate electrode over the substrate, where the gate electrode has a workfunction metal that surrounds the first and second interconnects. The first and second conductive layers may include conductive materials such as an epitaxial (EPI) layer, a metal layer, or a doped-semiconductor layer. The transistor device may further include a dielectric surrounding the interconnects as the dielectric is surrounded with the workfunction metal, and a transition layer disposed between the dielectric and interconnects. The dielectric may include a high-k dielectric material.