The Alsterdorf garden city has been protected by an urban conservation order since 1994. Between 1935 and 1938, as part of a state-subsidized development of private homes, coordinated house types were built on a regular urban layout with a central square on narrow, slightly curved streets, which were given an individual character through floor plan variations and architectural details. Key features are the red brick, the steep pitched roof and white windows; the uniform design also includes the front gardens enclosed by beech hedges and the public space characterized by old oak trees and boulder walls. Thanks to its historic buildings and village charm, the Alsterdorfer Gartenstadt is still a very popular place to live today.

The strict design guidelines of the preservation ordinance relate primarily to structural measures on the exterior of the buildings, but allow additions to the rear and conversions to the interior of the buildings to a certain extent. A good dialog between planners and authorities is therefore essential for a good result, as this project by Cattau Architekten proves.

The house was getting on in years, but still had many beautiful historical elements. A spacious living experience was desired while preserving the typical character of the house, and this transformation required extensive, technically and creatively demanding construction measures. The lowering and "extension" of the low basement created an additional habitable level and the creation of a spacious wellness area under the new rear extension.

The first floor with its original many small rooms has been completely restructured. A bright entrance area with a walk-in checkroom now leads through a modern steel and glass door into an open sequence of rooms for living, dining and cooking. These areas flow into one another, yet are clearly zoned. The kitchen with dining area is located in the new garden-side extension with generous, floor-to-ceiling glazing. The covered terrace, enclosed by low brick walls, clearly extends the living space outwards and brings the greenery of the garden inside. The entire roof structure was removed and replaced to accommodate the new interior design on the upper floor. The sleeping areas are arranged here, separately for parents and children. The result is a clearly contemporary detached house in the historical form of a small-scale estate house in the Alsterdorf garden city.

www.cattau-architekt.de

Photos:

Jan Vennemann
www.jvvm.de
Fria Hagen
Torsten Cattau

(Published in CUBE Hamburg 02|21)