On the outskirts of Meerbusch-Strümp, a residential quarter nestled idyllically between meadows and fields near the Rhine, architect Wolfgang Doemens of DMW Planungsgruppe realized his dream of building his own home. The generously proportioned residential building, conceived across two stories, opens seamlessly to an expansive garden, characterized by partially preserved trees from the 1950s and offering ample space for terraces and an outdoor pool.

Oriented toward the northeast, the house makes its statement through a suspended façade of frosted glass. The projecting upper story—defined by aluminum panels and brick walls—appears to float above it. The doors to four garage units are seamlessly integrated into the glass front, creating a unified architectural form. The asymmetrically offset main entrance discreetly tucks behind a planted green buffer, shielding the home from direct views off the quiet residential street. Departing from conventional floor plan organization, the ground floor houses the bedrooms and study, both offering direct access to garden terraces and the pool. A roughly two-meter concrete wall bordering the neighboring properties ensures privacy.

The upper story living area is accessed via a central stairwell with an integrated elevator—clerestory windows on all four sides ensure optimal natural daylight throughout. The kitchen and storage spaces adjoin a terrace on the garden side, directly connected to the garden via an exterior staircase.

The gallery accessible from the stairwell separates the dining area from the living room with its open gas fireplace. Both spaces, however, open to the expansive roof terrace, at whose center sits a large, covered seating area. This space is usable far beyond the warm months—three sides feature sliding glass panels that can be closed to create a wintergarden. With integrated heating and infrared radiant heaters, it allows for comfortable outdoor enjoyment even from November through March.

The floors combine large-format porcelain stoneware tiles with plush carpet in an eclectic mix. The stainless steel exterior pool is heated energy-efficiently via air-source heat pumps. Additional technical features include cooling ceilings integrated into the suspended ceilings and an alarm system integrated into the façade. Heating and cooling throughout the house are managed by a heat pump system. The entire building and electrical technology is controlled by a sophisticated Gira KNX system.

www.dev.dmw-planungsgruppe.de

(Published in CUBE Düsseldorf 03|20)