The hillside location in Bonn's Ückesdorf district commands an idyllic view across the valley toward the Kottenforst forest beyond. The homeowners envisioned a single-family residence with a spacious rental apartment accessible directly from street level. Bonn-based architecture firm Schommer designed and executed a three-story home carved into the hillside—complete with double garage—where sunlight floods every floor. The design's central concept revolves around a plateau that extends from street level into the garden, providing the three-room rental apartment with generous outdoor space, privacy, and an ideal southeast orientation. This same plateau supports the single-family home above, which features a monopitch roof and a lushly planted roof garden, stepped back to create an intimate morning sun terrace with sweeping views across valley and forest. The roof level is visually framed by the flat roof below, while additional cubic volumes projecting from the envelope create dynamic sculptural interplay—deepened by shifting patterns of light and shadow. The single-family home centers on a U-shaped interior staircase accessed via external stairs. This stairwell rises through a soaring void—nearly four-and-a-half meters tall—that reaches toward the roof ridge, channeling abundant daylight and dramatic light effects throughout the interior via strategically placed skylights. A gallery distributes the parent's suite—featuring a dressing room, ensuite bath, and private sun terrace—alongside three children's bedrooms and shared bath. Below, the ground floor opens into a flowing yet clearly defined living, dining, and kitchen zone anchored by the central staircase and accented by a fireplace. A partially covered roof garden terrace facing east and a garden terrace oriented west provide versatile outdoor living spaces. Wood emerges as the defining material throughout—interior and exterior alike. In the living room, an oversize wood-framed window seat becomes the showpiece: intimate enough for reading with the children, yet oriented toward the surrounding greenery. The homeowner, a trained carpenter, personally crafted portions of the woodwork. Wooden slatted cladding articulates the façade panels fronting the terraces.

www.schommer-architekt.com
Instagram: architekturbuero_schommer

Photography:
Annika Feuss
www.annikafeuss.com

(Published in CUBE Cologne Bonn 02|24)