A wise decision
Renovation instead of new construction has many advantages and fulfils the long-held wish of the building owners.
The owners had occupied and meticulously maintained this well-preserved home for many years. Their long-standing vision of more space and an open-plan layout initially pointed toward new construction—until revised building codes threatened to push the new structure closer to the street. Unwilling to compromise the attractive front garden, they chose instead to renovate and comprehensively upgrade the existing structure. Sieckmann Walther Architects delivered a stunning transformation: a complete redesign of the upper floor paired with strategic spatial interventions that fundamentally reimagined the home's interior flow.
The original shallow-pitched hip roof was entirely removed and reconstructed as a steeper gabled roof, dramatically increasing usable floor space on the upper level. The exterior received comprehensive insulation and a new light-colored clinker brick façade. Solar panels in coordinating tones were seamlessly integrated into the flat-tile roof surface. Window openings were enlarged and upgraded to high-performance wood-aluminum frames with triple glazing. A generous corner dormer floods the master bedroom with views into the garden. The transformation's true magic lay in reconfiguring the interior layout. Removing a central partition wall opened up sweeping sightlines connecting the front and rear gardens, framing their trees and plantings as living views. Above the ground floor, an expansive ceiling opening now establishes visual continuity with the gallery-like upper floor. A six-meter ribbon of coupled roof windows running along the peak floods the entire home with dynamic daylight that shifts with the sun and seasons. Additional strategically positioned windows throughout the upper floor—some coupled in series—amplify the sense of openness and natural illumination. The result: significantly more space, abundant light, a preserved garden, and dramatic energy improvements. A renovation that proved far more rewarding than starting anew.
Photographs:
Carsten Voss Photography
(Published in CUBE Hamburg 01|25)






