Description

The sculptural shape of the minihouse evolved out of the interplay of several parameters, such as the maximum allowable building volume, rules regarding distance, fire, and earthquake safety regulations, the mandate that only a part of the sky may be obstructed from the street perspective, as well as the hybrid program for the interior.

The work/live building consists of open levels, progressing from floor to floor in the manner of a split-level and terminating in the roof patio. The result is a spatial continuum, where working (basement and mezzanine) and living (upper floors) transition into one another without clear spatial separation; with the exception of the bathrooms and WCs, there are no room enclosures.Intimacy is indicated by subtle means: for example, the heating element which reaches through the full height of the building, permits or blocks visual sightlines, the functional definition of the mezzanine hints at the use assigned to the following floor, the translucent wall elements slow down sight and movement alike.

To one side of the entrance, the upper floor of the living area is clad in the same wood elements as the suspended ceilings. The small windows in the internal facade seem like an ironic nod to conventional living.

Despite the immediate proximity, subtly formulated boundaries and the staggered levels promote a sense of spatial separation between the different areas. This corresponds with the users’ wish for a house in which the transition from public to private space is fluid and not abrupt in nature.

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Originally published in: Oliver Heckmann, Friederike Schneider (eds.), Floor Plan Manual Housing, fourth revised and expanded edition, Birkhäuser, 2011.