A plot at the edge of a small development in Ramersbach, an Ahrweiler district, commands a singular view—unobstructed toward the south and west, with the Eifel's gently rolling hills drawing the horizon. Seeking refuge from city life's relentless pace, the owners turned to Bad Neuenahr architect Armin Schmitz to realize their vision. The result: a barn-inspired structure with two distinct volumes that settle thoughtfully into the village edge and surrounding landscape, respecting both without imposing.

The couple were convinced by the design from the very first sketches. The timber-framed house consists of two elongated, single-storey structures, each with a gabled roof. Between them is a fully glazed wing that connects the two buildings and provides access to a small entrance area. The room layout is extremely compact and does not require any additional access rooms: while the southern building houses the living and dining room with a fireplace and the bedroom with a dressing room facing the terrace and generous window fronts, the building facing the street accommodates a study and a music room in addition to the kitchen and guest bathroom. All rooms on the 140 m² ground floor have in common that they offer a variety of views of the surrounding garden and the adjacent landscape. The large, floor-to-ceiling windows facing south can be opened completely on two sides, allowing the interior and exterior spaces to flow into one another. In the study, the view over the fields is particularly framed by a bay window, which stands out from the monolithic-looking anthracite-coloured façade with its red profiles. The sharply contoured aluminium façade is made up of sinusoidal elements, with matching steel elements used for the roofs. Recesses, projections and recesses – such as the bedroom protruding from the terrace front – are discreetly set off with dark plaster surfaces. The newly landscaped south-facing garden consists of native trees and shrubs and basalt boulders typical of the region, with a spacious raised wooden terrace and a small herb garden. Otherwise, the house is largely surrounded by the adjacent flower meadows.

www.arminschmitz.de

Photographs:
Armin Schmitz

(Featured in CUBE Cologne Bonn 03|24)