Through a limited design competition, 30 villas were developed on the Riedberg. Given that the Riedberg is a notably green neighborhood—roughly one-third of its 266 hectares comprise parks, integrated open landscapes, and connected green spaces—Hessen Agentur Stadtentwicklungsgesellschaft created the "White Villas" project. To enable contemporary living harmoniously integrated with nature on the designated site, several key design principles were established: notably, "organic design" was to be realized on single-family residential plots ranging from approximately 670 to 900 m². Rather than austere geometric and functionally rigid lines, the villas are characterized by dynamic curves and flowing forms. True to its name, "White Villas" programs a light color palette that defines these two-story family homes.

Earlybirds Architekten was among the practices that won the competition in Frankfurt's newest district, realizing four villas on the Riedberg. One sits on a plot along the western wing, designed according to zoning regulations with a double garage. "The flowing, organic formal language of this new residence for a four-member family reflects the city's design guidelines," explains Dominik Richter, architect and one of the practice's two partners. But there is more to it: the principle of "organic design" continues, in a sense, throughout the interior. Spaces flow organically into one another here, yet maintain flexibility while creating zones for both intimate retreat and social gathering. The villa's facade toward the street, or facing north, appears rather restrained. However, toward the garden and south exposure, the windows extend floor-to-ceiling. This not only ensures optimal natural light indoors but also maximizes solar heat gain and energy efficiency.

The house and garage feature white mineral external plaster, white parapet flashing, and concealed downpipes that remain invisible from view. The base is also white. This unified color scheme, combined with the smooth wall surfaces, emphasizes the monolithic character of the villa. For the windows, the architects selected gray-brown wooden or aluminum frames, complemented by matching aluminum blinds that provide both solar and privacy protection. For a house so deeply inspired by nature, nature itself naturally plays a central role: at its heart lies a generously planted atrium.

www.earlybirds-architekten.de

(Published in CUBE Frankfurt 03|20)