"When the architect has to plan a house for her own family, she herself is a city kid and her husband is looking for peace and quiet in the countryside, they are both lucky if they can find a plot on the outskirts of the city and yet surrounded by greenery," says architect Johanna Göbel, describing the initial situation. In addition to their good fortune, they also had to be willing to compromise and be creative in order to realize their own ideas on the long, narrow hillside plot. City regulations, such as the maximum eaves height, the construction of only one full storey or the obligation to have a pitched roof, also influenced the planning and ultimately the appearance of the house.

Behind the gray plaster façade with its broom finish and the overhanging, flat pitched roof clad in sheet metal, the first floor opens up to the ridge. But this is hardly noticeable. This is because the view is immediately drawn out through the fully glazed façade on the slope side. The open floor plan is structured by the staircase that leads down to the garden level. It separates the parents' area on one side from the family area with cooking, dining and living zones on the other. By minimizing the circulation areas, the 95 m² are perfectly adequate for this purpose, especially as a loggia extends the space by a further 20 m² into the open air. Downstairs are the children's rooms with direct access to the garden and a study. The technical and utility rooms are dug into the slope. The "Flitzeflur", as the children call the long corridor, marks the longitudinal axis and separates the living and functional areas.

Like the design as a whole, the choice of materials is a mixture of pragmatism and the implementation of creative ideas. Exposed concrete accompanies the steps, impervious to the perhaps not always quite so clean or careful hands of children. Oiled oak wood for the interior doors, window sills and floors adds a warm touch to the white walls and exposed concrete, creating a visually cozy atmosphere. To ensure that this is reflected in the interior temperature in winter, heating is provided by geothermal energy. And in summer, external sun protection shades the large glass surfaces. This allows sunlight and daylight to be controlled and the view can wander freely over the orchards whenever possible.

www.hparchitekten.de

Photos:

Artur Krause
www.artvisu.de
Nicole Zimmermann
www.nicolezimmermann.de
Zon Eichen
www.zon-eichen.de

(Published in CUBE Cologne Bonn 03|22)