Description

Although this house for a childless married couple is located in a village neighbourhood, the plot has the character of an open landscape. Dense groups of trees and a stream on the south-west side create a relaxed, calming atmosphere. The occupants, who are highly involved in their professional activities, wanted a retreat “for quiet work, thinking, gathering ideas and living”, and so a further tranche of rooms is attached to the house next to the green wall that forms the boundary and offers protection. Two atriums form intermediate zones, firstly as a transition from the interior to the built reality outside, and secondly as a stone outside area to prepare for the gentle green. Surrounded by high walls, they form a boundary on the entrance side and open up to the garden façade with a framed view. Working with the house itself, their sharp geometrical outline inscribes the contrast on the soft­ness of nature, and this is supported by the rough material, exposed concrete, which is not exactly charming, but carefully finished. These atriums give the house its identity, representing the extension of the living function on the ground floor, and providing living spaces in the open air.

Even though the actual living area, glazed over two storeys, opens on to the garden over an air space, it is not until the atriums are reached that there is direct access to nature, without barriers. This means that living–together with cooking and eating–extends over the whole ground floor, right up to the walled boundaries, and acquires innovative hierarchical characteristics: an intimate living courtyard on the entrance side, fluent living space inside and a ‘living garden’ opposite. Even the bedroom area on the upper floor has a characteristic hall-like living area, thus underlining the client’s wish: here we live everywhere.

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Originally published in: Klaus-Peter Gast, Living Plans: New Concepts for Advanced Housing, Birkhäuser, 2005.