The building envelope prescribed by the development plan initially presented an unusual challenge: it extended over fifteen meters into the property's depth before forking into a U-shape at the rear. Ben Dieckmann architects from Meerbusch embraced this extraordinary constraint as a creative directive, designing a courtyard house with an expansive pool terrace for the four-member family. The realized design adheres precisely to the prescribed building envelope, down to its corner points, and together with the pool terrace, achieves an elegant maximization of allowable development. The design simultaneously incorporates the gabled roof and steeply pitched roof form mandated by the development plan. Though generous transparent dormers grace both the street and courtyard facades, the eaves-facing orientation lends the ensemble a measured, understated character. The result harmoniously complements the surrounding context of mid-century detached single-story residences from the 1950s and '60s—exactly as the clients envisioned.

An archaeological site on the property ruled out a traditional basement. Beyond a small mechanical room housed in the foundation of the demolished structure, all storage and utility spaces had to be incorporated into the ground floor. The heart of the home – kitchen, dining, and living areas – occupies the elongated, slender bar that opens directly onto the covered terrace and pool area. Inside, this central spine soars to the roofline, evoking the generous proportions of residential architecture found in North America and New Zealand. Patrick Treutlein Interior designed and executed the entire interior.While the exterior presents a unified brick façade, the structure itself is not built from stone or concrete. Instead, the walls and ceilings employ cross-laminated timber – prefabricated in the workshop and assembled on-site over just a few weeks. The result: a free-standing courtyard house with multiple terraces and distinct garden zones. Durable and timelessly elegant in appearance, it has become the family's ideal home.

www.bendieckmann.com

Photography:
Dirk Matull
www.dirkmatull.de

Living area: 348 m²
Site area: 1,450 m²
Construction duration: 9 months (shell)
Construction method: CLT mass timber
Energy system: Heat pump with PV installation

(Featured in CUBE Düsseldorf 02|25)