As the existing building on the sloping plot did not meet the new owners’ requirements in terms of size and fittings, they decided to demolish it and build a new house. This was to be tailored entirely to the personal wishes of the family of four. Coast Architects designed two cubic, strictly geometric volumes stacked one on top of the other to form the basic structure. The layout and orientation have been individually adapted to the surroundings and the residents’ requirements. The recessed upper storey has created a wraparound terrace on the ground floor, which, together with the ramp on the hillside leading down to the lower storey, allows access to all rooms from the outside. This generous architectural gesture has also resulted in barrier-free access to the house.

The ground floor, with its external garage entrance and large front door, forms the base of the house. The U-shaped layout of the children’s and guest bedrooms, along with their en-suite bathrooms, is accessed from the entrance hall. All rooms open out onto the garden through floor-to-ceiling windows. With doors flush with the walls, the foyer presents itself as a windowless ‘white cube’. Here, a few pieces from the clients’ art collection are displayed, setting the scene for the centrepiece of the room: the sculptural staircase made of white-lacquered metal. It literally draws the eye up to the light-flooded upper floor. There, floor-to-ceiling windows offer unobstructed views of the hillside garden with its pool and of the city. The living room can be opened up to the terrace via glazed sliding panels and, to the side, to the light-filled loggia recessed into the building structure. On the west side, opposite the living area, is the dining and kitchen area, which can also be extended into the outdoor space. The dining table, the open-plan kitchen and the preparation kitchen, all featuring floor-to-ceiling windows, offer plenty of space for residents and guests. The west-facing terrace serves not only as a platform for an outdoor dining area but also features a fireplace. Running parallel to the open-plan living areas, behind a exposed-concrete wall, are the clients’ private rooms. The bedroom, dressing room and bathroom are designed as open-plan spaces that flow into one another, creating a private retreat for the parents. Exposed concrete, light-coloured walls and classic oak parquet flooring, combined with the clear spatial layout and understated colour scheme, provide the backdrop for a cosy, contemporary ambience. The varied visual connections between indoors and outdoors, the interplay of open and enclosed elements, and the sensitive, bespoke interior fit-out characterise the house and demonstrate how it has been tailor-made for its occupants.

An air-to-water heat pump supplies heat to the underfloor heating and the swimming pool. Solar panels on the flat roof provide electricity for the house’s entire energy requirements and for the smart home system installed for automation.  

www.coastoffice.de

Living area: 300 m²
Plot size: 2,180 m²
Construction period: 2017–2019
Construction method: Solid construction
Energy concept: Air-to-water heat pump with photovoltaic system

Photography Credits:

David Franck
www.davidfranck.de

(Published in CUBE Stuttgart 02|21)