Integrating art into architecture is hardly breaking new ground. At the federal level, regulations even stipulate that up to 1.5% of public construction budgets should be dedicated to art in architecture. The private sector, however, operates under no such mandate—which is why it's all the more meaningful when developers voluntarily invest in art, driven by passion for a particular artist, movement, or the visual arts broadly. It's a powerful way to weave culture back into daily life and recognize artists as valuable contributors to society. For architects, this creates an exciting challenge: merging two creative visions and achieving a harmonious built result. This was precisely the task facing Kröger-Daniels Architects when they were commissioned to design a new home for a family alongside a collection by an acclaimed painter the client deeply admired. "We essentially built the architecture around the art," notes architect Katharina Kröger-Daniels.

The corner building—largely closed to the street—reads almost like a private museum. Enclosed by walls, the property maintains its privacy despite its prominent location. Yet toward the protected garden, the spaces open entirely, drawing natural light and landscape deep into the home's core. Despite its substantial footprint, the architects prioritized efficient circulation, connecting rooms in intuitive sequence. Move from the wellness area in the basement, centered around a light court, and you're just a few steps from the pool. The pool itself extends into the garden, introducing a secondary axis that animates the otherwise linear residential form.

The architecture doesn't compete with the art—it recedes, opens up, and yields space. The double-height entry fills with bold, nearly jarring paintings that command every glance. Yet it's precisely this restrained architectural clarity that provides essential counterbalance, maintaining equilibrium and creating visual harmony. Disciplined in places, playful in others. The ground floor features smooth grey troweled concrete; smoked oak wraps the cabinetry and upper floors. The granite too is smooth, yet its lively vein patterns echo the paintings, appearing throughout—in the fireplace wall, kitchen island, and bath. Here, a round mirror gently breaks the strict linearity of the design, becoming the focal point of the master suite.

"The collaboration between the client, my colleague Aline Ackermann, and myself was remarkably fluid," Kröger-Daniels recalls of what she describes as an unusually relaxed construction process. This ease permeates the interior as well—from carefully curated lighting design to the elegantly refined dining chairs that seem almost delicate. Together with the art and architecture, these elements form a cohesive design vision. The result is a home that's not only visually refined but genuinely intelligent, equipped throughout with modern building systems.

www.kroeger-daniels.de

Living space:
580 m²
Plot size:
1,200 m²
Construction period:
12 months
Construction method:
Solid masonry
Energy concept:
Controlled ventilation with radiant floor heating and cooling

Photography Credits:

Constantin Meyer
www.constantin-meyer.de

(Published in CUBE Cologne Bonn 01|21)