Description

This house situated on a hillside differentiates itself from its neighbors through its clear cube-shaped volume and height in relation to its footprint. A spiral staircase placed asymmetrically within a square floor plan marks the point of intersection of a spatial cross figure, dividing the house into four different-sized quadrants for different uses. The staircase defines the very essence of the house by connecting the 12 levels as they transition from more public to more private rooms. The required dimensions of the steps and the columns in the cross axes determined the width of the double walls forming a cross around the round staircase, which incorporate different functions. On the lower, more public floors, stairs directly link the kitchen, dining areas, and the double-height living room to create an open enfilade. The remaining wall niches are used as built-in furniture so that the rooms themselves remain unoccupied. On the top floors, with the more private rooms and a one-and-a-half height workroom, these walls house WCs, bathrooms, and additional wall niches.

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Originally published in: Oliver Heckmann, Friederike Schneider with Eric Zapel (eds.), Floor Plan Manual Housing, fifth revised and expanded edition, Birkhäuser, 2018.