Clean Lines
Compact two-family home in Mainz with thoughtful details
In a new residential development in Mainz, clients working with MundS Architects set out to build a detached house containing two separate dwelling units. With the development plan's strict parameters leaving little room for architectural expression, the designers opted instead to achieve distinction through refined simplicity—clean lines throughout. The clients themselves were keen on a home with individual character. To reinforce this clarity, the architects made a deliberate choice: they eliminated the roof overhang entirely, replacing it with concealed gutters and downpipes. Along the gable edges (verges), they specified parapet coping, which further accentuates the home's crisp, linear aesthetic.
The design draws inspiration from the classic semi-detached house typology. A central core on the ground floor efficiently houses the entrance, kitchen, WC, and storage. The hallway and dining area on one side, with the living room and garden access on the other, frame this functional hub. Upstairs, two children's bedrooms, a study, and bathroom complete the layout. Each generously proportioned children's room is thoughtfully divided into sleeping and play zones. A cutout in the ceiling above the play area extends the ceiling height to the roofline, with a ladder providing access to a secondary sleeping platform. Meanwhile, a roofline cutout grants the master bedroom its own private roof terrace.
Porcelain stoneware tiles in a uniform material and colour establish visual continuity throughout the home, creating a restful, cohesive palette. In the bathrooms, a mosaic format is introduced to mark these spaces as distinct zones. Coordinating this restraint, the parapet trim, window sills, and exposed metal elements share a unified finish. Waterproof concrete forms the basement; from the ground floor up, solid Poroton masonry (42.5 cm) provides the load-bearing structure. Wood-effect plastic windows work beautifully with the solid wood doors and wooden stair stringers, creating a warm visual bridge. A single lighting strategy bathes the interior in consistent, even illumination. And as the clients requested, the home achieves KfW 55 energy efficiency standards.
Photography:
Maximilian Wulf
www.maximilian-wulf.de
(Published in CUBE Frankfurt 01|24)
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