There's little debate about which building typology suits the picturesque foothills near Rosenheim best: wood is the natural choice – for all the right reasons. It's renewable, energy-efficient, environmentally responsible, and ecologically sound. These advantages convinced the owners to build their home on their 755 m² plot using solid timber construction. Munich-based firm Eneff Architekten, experienced in timber design, took on the project. Except for a waterproof concrete basement, the entire structure – from ground floor to roof – is crafted from laminated wood panels, a method that also helped keep overall costs remarkably reasonable. An older existing building was demolished to make room for this new home for a family of five on the north-south-facing lot. The result: a rectangular two-storey house with a gently sloped gable roof. At 176 m², it's efficiently planned without wasting space. The roof structure remains unfinished, yet the upper-floor rooms feel spacious, thanks to the exposed wooden construction overhead. Here sit the master bedroom with en-suite bath and dressing room, plus three children's bedrooms. Rather than add balconies, the architects designed a generous overhang on the upper level that shelters the ground-floor terrace. The main entrance faces north, and the façade on this side is largely closed except for a striking circular window flooding the stairwell with light and two smaller openings. The parents' need for dedicated workspaces shaped the floor plan too – she's a graphic designer, he's a musician, and both required quiet, private studios. Her small design studio sits slightly elevated on the ground floor, accessed via an intermediate landing off the spiral staircase. The kitchen, dining area, and living room occupy the home's centre, flowing seamlessly to the south-facing covered terrace with its wooden-deck extension running the full width of the house. The basement recording studio demanded special headroom to implement room-within-room acoustic isolation. Outside, a rear-ventilated façade of glazed larch timber wraps the structure in warmth and visual appeal.

www.eneff-architekten.de

Photography Credits:

Oczko Stereo

(Published in CUBE Munich, Issue 01/21)