No One Noticed
A 1950s-era family home in Bochum receives a thoughtful renovation
A detached house with a mature garden was the dream of a family of four. They discovered this charming property in Bochum-Langendreer through a real estate listing site—one that promised "just a fresh coat of paint and you're in." Reality proved far more ambitious, as Ole Wetterich of Typ A. Architektenteam explains. His firm modernized the house with careful attention to budget, energy efficiency, and the family's vision for their home.
"We love being brought in early—ideally at the first or second viewing," explains Ole Wetterich. "Families naturally approach these moments with emotion, but we're trained to spot renovation possibilities they might miss." Since the original heating, plumbing, and electrical systems dated to the 1950s, a complete technical overhaul was essential. The team achieved the target Efficiency House 50 EE standard through new insulation, an air-source heat pump, a controlled ventilation system, and a photovoltaic installation. To create the open, flowing home the family wanted, the architects strategically modified the floor plan. The original load-bearing wall now features carefully positioned openings—a generous pass-through to the kitchen and tall, cleanly detailed doorways that dissolve the entrance into the living spaces. Views and sightlines now extend throughout. A generous window seat anchors the dining area with garden views, connected via a large sliding door to the kitchen. Preserving the original oak parquet—restored to its former beauty—meant forgoing underfloor heating. Instead, a new polished concrete floor was laid alongside the herringbone parquet, visually mapping the distinction between old and new. The open, minimal entrance maintains the original timber staircase, now leading to two children's bedrooms, a children's bath, and a study on the upper floors. A clever laundry chute runs from top to bottom—a practical addition that required some design compromise. "It broke our straight lines," Wetterich notes, "but the family's daily life came first." A new sculptural staircase—part custom carpentry, part metalwork—connects the master suite to the living areas via a gallery, fostering fluid movement and conversation across all levels.
Photography:
Jannis Wiebusch
www.janniswiebusch.de
(Published in CUBE Ruhrgebiet 04|24)
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