A villa garden of refined elegance

Reimagining a grand estate: where classical and contemporary design converge

bL1100914_19_700pixel

Dominated by white and green, this expansive villa garden exudes refinement, tranquility, and understated elegance. Years ago, landscape architect Klaus Klein transformed the property, creating a seamless dialogue between residence and garden. Both speak a language of clarity and generous proportions while honoring the need for comfort and personal sanctuary. To preserve the estate's sophisticated character, the abundant planting scheme deliberately restrains itself to just a few carefully chosen colors.

What appears effortlessly idyllic today belies the formidable challenges the redesign had to overcome. The sloped terrain and dramatic eight-meter elevation change posed immediate complexity. The dense subsoil tested the team's innovation further. Then came an unexpected demand: integrating a new classic car exhibition garage built during the house renovation—a factor that fundamentally altered the garden's design requirements. Klein's elegant solution was masterful: he embedded the garage roof into the landscape so that its surface becomes a usable garden extension, complete with a glass pavilion and wooden deck. The result is a nearly imperceptible transition from lawn to roofline—yielding the unexpected bonus of creating significantly greater spatial depth.

Harmonizing old with new, the team also reimagined the upper slope. New pathways and multiple seating areas now invite discovery from various vantage points. "The real magic happens from the living room windows," Klein observes, "where you feel immersed in the garden itself—drawn optically closer to the house." This sense of intimacy was strengthened by removing the former pool, replaced by a generous terrace of polygonal limestone that amplifies spatial depth. Equally distinctive are the abundance of pollinator-friendly trees and plants, choreographed to provide color and life throughout the year.

www.wkm-la.de

Photography Credits:

Ute Stehlmann

(Featured in CUBE Cologne Bonn 01|22)

Nothing found.

Expressiv Stützenfrei

Ein Büroneubau in Marsdorf bietet Kita, Cafeteria und kollaboratives Arbeiten

Clear, Precise, Enduring

A single-family home that strikes a balance between solidity and warmth

Clear Structure in Record Time

A comprehensive secondary school in Velbert harnesses the hillside topography and embraces a cluster design approach

Too Beautiful to Leave

A private sanctuary that offers everything needed for a retreat at home

Nothing found.

037_jk271022_15_700pixel

Neighbours in conversation

The Montag Foundations in Bonn have created the "MO Campus"—a vibrant student housing community spanning two residential buildings.

01_South-Facing Façade_19_700pixel

Residential Island with Park

A residential building in Bad Honnef showcasing open, flowing floor plans that maximize views of the surrounding landscape.

Built Topography

A Community Centre in Bergisch: Weaving Heritage and Community Together

PK1026-107_19_700pixel94eJpuNl0odx9

Distinctive Entrance Portal

Bonn's new Biomedical Centre II is far more than a laboratory facility

Flood prevention is a cycle, not a single event

Before the Next Flood

A historic residence in Mechernich—restored with heritage sensitivity and future-proofed against climate risk

02-Parish Centre Hippolytus House Troisdorf Exterior View Daniel Stauch_15_700pixel

Dynamic city gateway

A new parish residence completes the St. Hippolytus ensemble in Troisdorf.

Simplicity as Principle

A warehouse and production facility that speaks through honest structure and straightforward design