Integrating art as part of architecture is hardly a novel concept. In fact, Switzerland mandates that one and a half percent of public construction budgets be allocated to art in architecture. Private developments, however, are not bound by such requirements—making it all the more gratifying when clients choose to invest of their own volition, driven by enthusiasm for a particular artist, artistic movement, or the visual arts in general. It's a meaningful way to weave culture back into everyday life and to recognize artists as valued contributors to society. For architects, this presents an elegant challenge: harmonizing two creative dimensions and achieving an architectural equilibrium. Kröger-Daniels Architekten faced precisely this task when commissioned to design a new home that would accommodate both a family and the valued paintings of an esteemed artist. "We essentially designed the architecture around the art," explains architect Katharina Kröger-Daniels.

The corner building presents itself almost as a museum piece, with its facade largely closed to the street. Encircled by walls, the property maintains its privacy despite its prominent location. Toward the protected garden, the spaces open freely, allowing exterior light to penetrate deep into the interior. Despite the building's considerable scale, the architects prioritized efficient circulation, connecting rooms in logical sequence. The wellness area in the basement, organized around a light court, flows seamlessly to the pool in just a few steps. The pool extends generously into the garden, imparting additional direction to the otherwise rectangular residential form.

Architecture here deliberately steps aside rather than competing with art—it remains restrained, opens itself, and yields space. The double-height entry hall is filled with bold, almost strident paintings that command the attention of both visitors and residents alike. It is precisely the refined calm of the architecture that provides an appropriate counterbalance, maintaining equilibrium and achieving visual harmony. Austere in some moments, playful in others. The smooth, gray troweled concrete floor on the ground level, the smoked oak cabinetry and upper-floor surfaces evoke this restrained palette. The granite, too, is smooth, yet its lively veining subtly echoes the paintings throughout. It reappears continually—in the fireplace wall, kitchen island, and bathroom. Here, the round form of the mirror breaks the ordered dominance of the clean linear geometry, becoming the focal point of the master suite.

"The collaboration between the client, my colleague Aline Ackermann, and myself was characterized by efficiency," reflects Kröger-Daniels, recalling her time on what she emphasizes was a remarkably relaxed construction site. A certain understated ease reverberates through the thoughtfully curated interior—evident in the designer lighting fixtures and the delicate, almost fragile chairs surrounding the dining table. Together with the art and architecture, these elements compose a cohesive design concept. The result is a residence distinguished not only by aesthetic refinement but also by state-of-the-art building systems that make it thoroughly smart in every sense.

www.kroeger-daniels.de

Living Area:
580 m²
Property Size:
1,200 m²
Construction Period:
12 months
Construction Method:
Solid construction
Energy Concept:
Controlled mechanical ventilation with radiant floor heating for heating and cooling

Photography Credits:

Constantin Meyer
www.constantin-meyer.de

(Published in CUBE Cologne Bonn 01|21)