Open to the Garden
A single-family home that captivates with its generous living spaces
For centuries, Huckingen has bridged Duisburg and Düsseldorf. Though officially part of Duisburg since 1929, residents continue to embrace this unique dual connection—enjoying the best of both cities right at their door. In recent years, the new residential district "Am alten Angerbach" has taken shape here, featuring approximately 235 semi-detached and detached homes, a kindergarten, and distinctive green spaces. Ricardo Ferreira | Architecture and Design Studio from Meerbusch designed two single-family homes for this development. The first is a compact cube that unfolds across two residential levels with a diverse spatial program, distinguished above all by the living area's generous indoor-outdoor flow.
The owners dreamed of their perfect home—a place where family life could unfold close to nature. The narrow lot presented constraints: zoning regulations limited the structure to two stories with a flat roof. The architects responded with a striking cubic form, softened by single-story wings that create a sculptural composition. A street-facing annex houses the garage, entry vestibule, guest bathroom, and mechanical spaces. From the covered entrance, you step into an expansive foyer that flows toward the west-facing stairwell, which bathes in shifting daylight through generous vertical windows and a skylight that captures morning sun from the east. The entry reveals carefully composed sightlines to the living room, garden, and a sheltered patio nestled between the building volumes. The living area unfolds with a comfortable seating zone and media wall, while the stairwell void above creates a visual and spatial connection to the upper floor. The dining area extends parallel, and both zones open seamlessly through sliding glass walls onto two generous terraces—creating that coveted blur between interior and exterior. Beyond the sweeping garden views stands a transparent gas fireplace that frames a cozy seating nook. The kitchen claims the closest relationship to the garden, flooded with light from corner-to-corner glazing, intimately positioned yet separate from the dining zone and easily accessible from the covered terrace—a crucial detail for summer entertaining. Below, the partially below-grade level houses primarily storage. Upstairs, a gallery organizes two distinct zones: the children's wing (street-side) contains two bedrooms and a shared bathroom, while the parents' wing (garden-side) features the master suite with sauna and dressing room, plus a home office nook. Every space enjoys natural light. White plaster walls form the visual foundation, warmed by oak parquet and punctuated by black wood cabinetry. The home achieves energy efficiency through connection to the local district heating network.
Photography:
Julia Vogel
www.juliavogelfotografie.de
(Published in CUBE Düsseldorf 04|25)