The plot, situated in a new development area in Pulheim near Cologne, was relatively narrow but offered unobstructed views of the surrounding countryside. The clients wanted a sociable, family-friendly home with ample living and utility space and a basement. Sustainability was a key priority: the design was based on solid timber construction, so the Cologne-based architectural firm VICO Architekten, which specialises in timber buildings, quickly became the first port of call.

Toward the street, the house adopts an introspective character, revealing few openings. The ground floor merges with the recessed garage and a sculptural covered entry—carved into the building mass—to establish a horizontal base. Color-differentiated plaster façades and horizontal timber cladding on the upper level create the illusion of this story floating above. On the garden façade, a second incision dissolves the living area into a covered, column-free terrace with panoramic views. Frameless, floor-to-ceiling glass walls paired with wood-aluminum operable sashes flood the living spaces—rising to 2.70 meters—with natural light. The ground floor embraces an open-plan layout, yet a thoughtful sequence of meandering spaces and sliding doors provides the four-member family with intimate retreats when needed. Upstairs sit the children's rooms, a children's bath, plus the master suite with dressing room and en-suite bathroom. This bedroom faces the street but forgoes conventional windows entirely. Instead, a generous skylight—spanning four square meters of glass—bathes the bathroom in daylight and opens for natural ventilation. Meanwhile, a full-height interior window frames views of both staircase and ground floor below. The basement rounds out the program with an additional bath featuring a sauna, a compact home office, and supporting spaces.

From a technical standpoint, the project exemplifies high-degree prefabrication: CLT solid timber walls for all above-grade elements and precast concrete components for the basement enabled the construction phase to be compressed into just several weeks. Underfloor heating fed by a heat pump—powered by geothermal energy—warms the home efficiently. Decentralized mechanical ventilation with heat recovery throughout ensures comfort and performance.

www.vico-architekten.com

Photography:
Aryan Mirfendereski
www.mirfendereski.de

(Published in CUBE Cologne Bonn 04|25)