New developments typically mean tight quarters and limited privacy from neighboring homes. Quiet retreats and personal space become precious commodities. Yet this family residence in Nordheim, near Heilbronn, accomplishes the difficult balance. Through clever spatial planning by Mattes + Eppmann Architects, the home features thoughtfully shielded zones that protect inhabitants from view while opening to panoramic vistas across the landscape. From street view, the house presents an understated character. Inside, however, bright spaces with carefully composed sight lines deliver an extraordinary living experience.

This vision extends into every detail of the floor plan. The home is designed to be easily divisible into two separate units in the future. The ground floor offers a western entrance with full accessibility and independent living capability. The upper level is accessed via the main entry. Both units—three-room apartments each—provide exclusive living with generous outdoor spaces. The spatial sequence unfolds like a city itself, with paths and plazas. The ground-floor hallway becomes a gallery corridor alongside a sculpture court. Passing the eastern courtyard on one side and dining area on the other, you arrive at the expansive living and fireplace room. Its floor-to-ceiling glazing on all sides dissolves boundaries between interior and exterior, flowing effortlessly into a clean, linear garden design. Strategically positioned interior courtyards flood the building's core with natural light while framing compelling views outward. On the upper floor, these courtyards create peaceful retreats; full-height glazing floods the bathrooms with daylight while ensuring complete privacy.

This forward-thinking approach shaped every decision in systems and materials. Ecological performance was central to the design. Built to KfW 55 standards, the home features a solar array that powers an air-source heat pump. With final completion, the building can operate as a net-zero energy structure. A heat-recovery ventilation system completes the mechanical strategy. Construction employs load-bearing masonry with Poroton brick and integrated insulation.

www.m-e-architekten.de

(Featured in CUBE Stuttgart 03|19)