Description

The charm of the undeveloped lot, receding parallel to a row of old fruit trees, inspired the wish to preserve the character of the site and to place the building into the landscape as a solitary structure. Although not visible from the outside, the cube is composed of two identical apartments, which are stacked crosswise. This provides both units with the advantage of having different orientations and a direct relationship between the ground floor and the exterior.

From the living area oriented toward the street, both occupants enjoy a spectacular panoramic vista, and in the sleeping area to the rear, the tranquility of the gardens. The full depth and height of the building volume is experienced in each apartment. This reinforces the impression of living in one’s own house rather than in an apartment. The large sliding glass panels for the windows and the entrances are retracted into the wood boarding when opened. The result is a pure, unfettered opening, which transforms the rooms into loggias. As to the inhabitants: like the house itself, with its minimalist appearance, they enter into a direct dialog with the landscape.

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