Finding an undeveloped plot in this location is a rare find. Perched at the edge of a new development, it commands views across natural landscape and neighboring pastures. A blended family saw its potential and chose it as their home. The two adults and two teenagers arrived with a clear vision of what their new home needed to be. This gave architects Engelshove Bau a solid foundation for their design—one that would gracefully accommodate the family's evolving living arrangements. The couple envisioned a single-level primary residence, with their teenagers' quarters upstairs. Critically, both levels were designed as self-contained living units, allowing the family to adapt the home's configuration as their needs changed over time.

"Designing your own home requires forethought—you need to anticipate different life stages, shifting perspectives, and changing priorities," explains Anja Engelshove, whose three decades of experience and hundreds of completed projects speak volumes. The building's thoughtful play of projections and recesses creates an inviting lightness that allows it to sit gracefully within its setting. These architectural moves also generate open spaces and covered terraces that bring the landscape within reach. Since the homeowners anchored their private rooms on the ground floor, the bedroom terrace operates independently from the living-dining and kitchen terraces—each with its own character. The elongated clinker bricks—a soft palette of cream, white, and muted grey—paired with expansive glazing, lend the home its refined elegance. There's a reason clay masonry is central to Engelshove's material palette: "The range of colors, textures, and finishes allows us to craft truly distinctive and personal facades," she notes. The entrance facade takes this interplay further, introducing sleek aluminum slats that add a contemporary edge. Perhaps most striking is what the entrance reveals: from the moment you step inside, your eye travels through the house and into the garden—a view Engelshove wove into her vision from day one.

The generous living and dining spaces flow seamlessly into one another while remaining visually distinct. A room divider accomplishes this elegant separation—and elegantly incorporates a three-sided glass fireplace as its centerpiece. Flooring combines large-format tiles with premium vinyl throughout. Custom built-ins define the private quarters. A fuel cell heating system handles hot water, heating, and power generation—a forward-thinking energy approach.

www.engelshove.de

Living space: 215 m²
Plot size: 646 m²
Construction period: 2021–2023
Building type: Open construction
Energy standard: KfW 40

Photography:
Arnt Haug
www.arnt-haug.de

(Published in CUBE Ruhrgebiet 04|24)