Living on one level has lost none of its appeal to this day - on the contrary: single-storey bungalows are ideal both for young families and for accessibility in old age. And it doesn't have to be the cost- and resource-intensive new build - modern existing buildings from the post-war decades also have a lot of potential that can be put to new use. The Düsseldorf-based firm Böhme Bertossi Architekten has converted and extended a low-rise building in a densely populated housing estate from the late 1960s into a new home for a family of four - modern and straightforward, but also respectfully protective, as the original character of the house was to be preserved and further developed as far as possible.

In addition to the renovation and modernization, the main aim was to reorganize the rooms: For example, the previously separate living and dining areas and the kitchen were to be connected for the first time to form an open-plan communal space. A second children's room and a large family bathroom were also desired. These additional areas made it necessary to build an extension at the rear of the building that opened onto the garden. Conveniently, an unused terrace could be built over - in a prefabricated timber frame construction with a generous window front. But even in the existing building, uses had to be shifted, walls removed and new ones erected to create a functioning whole with clear zoning and flowing connections. While the bedrooms combine with the bathroom to form a private area, the family-friendly, 40 m² living, cooking and dining area extends through the entire depth of the building with multiple views of the garden and daylight from all directions. The minimalist interiors, modernized with just a few materials, create an aesthetic framework for the elements that have been deliberately preserved: In particular, the brick fireplace with preserved natural stone cladding, as well as the steel spiral staircase with natural stone flooring, are once again shown to their best advantage as design accents and add character and personality to the rooms. While the exterior brick façade remained virtually untouched, the parquet flooring had to be completely renewed due to underfloor heating - as did the roof, which will be greened and equipped with a PV system in the future.

www.boehme-bertossi.de

Photos:
Jens Kirchner
www.jens-kirchner.com

(Published in CUBE Düsseldorf 01|25)