In Frankfurt's diplomatic quarter, modern residential buildings with flat roofs and roof terraces are increasingly being built alongside traditional two-storey villas with hipped or pitched roofs. The former offer the possibility of integrating terraces that provide an impressive view over the Palmengarten to the Frankfurt skyline. Hollin + Radoske Architekten also planned an urban villa here for their client - in such a way that the cubist structure has a different, independent effect from each side due to its exposed location at the crossroads.

The hand-formed bricks not only break up the austerity of the graphic cubature with their emotional power, they also create natural façades that both harmonize and contrast with the glass and metal elements. These bricks, different window sizes and the projecting and recessed façade elements with black metal panels turn the monolithic brick cube into a striking and independent structure. The deliberate offsets of the closed façades, in interplay with the wall openings, create a timeless yet expressive architectural language. "When developing the structure with two full storeys and a staggered storey, it was important to us that the staggered storey should not appear as a recessed, superimposed storey, but as an integrated part of the sculptural structure," explains Bernd Hollin.

A spacious entrance leads into the building with its high-ceilinged rooms, the kitchen with dining area facing the garden and the living/dining room, which is separated by room dividers. The flowing, open room sequences can be separated by glazed sliding elements. The fireplace, which can be seen from two sides, forms a room-dividing element here, as does the centrally arranged staircase with the elevator core in the middle. The second living area on the staggered floor impresses with its generous room layout, plenty of light and impressive views. The garden on the first floor, the long loggia on the first top floor and the large terrace on the top floor ensure that residents can step outside on every floor. The lighting alternates between reduced-looking downlights and visible semi-recessed spotlights, which visually structure the ceiling to create soft, glare-free light. They also offer the option of illuminating art or illuminating wall and floor surfaces architecturally. Numerous pendant and floor/table lamps, some of which come from the client's collection, but some of which were also newly selected, complete the lighting program. To make the house fit for the future, the architects opted for heating technology with gas and heat pumps, controlled ventilation systems with heat recovery, optimized insulation, green roofs and KNX electrics.

www.hollinradoske.com

Photos:

Gregor Schuster
www.gregorschuster.de

(Published in CUBE Frankfurt 02|23)