A change of ownership in 2016 ended the long slumber of a Wilhelminian-style city villa from the 1880s. The previously rather inconspicuous house was finally awakened by the architecture and interior design firm Lars Wittorf, which was responsible for planning and executing the extensive renovation. The building was completely gutted, given new foundations and a new interior layout. The previously small rooms gave way to large, flowing sequences of rooms. Oak floorboards, high ceilings with exposed, opulent stucco elements and original, restored ceiling paintings allow the rooms to shine in new splendour. The historic windows were renovated to be more energy efficient, but their proportions and division remained unchanged.

The historic staircase was preserved, stair flights and intermediate landings were restored with valuable panel parquet flooring, and new tiling with a floral pattern was laid on the main landings. A glass lift was also integrated into the stairwell. The installation of a flush-fitting, glazed smoke extraction opening brings daylight into the interior stairwell. To show off the large-format pictures in the staircase to their best advantage, Lars Wittorf designed wall lights with direct and indirect light specifically for the project. Optimally shielded, they create a pleasant atmosphere and, in terms of form and materiality, form an exciting counterpoint to the pictures and historical elements. The new penthouse sits enthroned like a modern black box on top of the historic building. With its dark grey zinc sheet façade, it deliberately sets itself apart from the existing building and its proportions. The staircase also stages the transition from historical to modern: first, round, stucco-covered elements from the time of construction captivate the eye, then the space flows smoothly into the cubic forms of the penthouse. Thanks to the addition of another storey and the extensive expansion of the garden level, three residential units now extend over five floors. The two-storey bel étage unit can be converted into a granny flat and has exclusive access to the rear garden. The office's characteristic approach, combining sensuality, a keen sense of proportion and respect for historical building elements, has transformed the building back into a homogeneous townhouse.

www.larswittorf.com

Photography Credits:

Rainer Taepper
www.rainertaepper.com

Malte Kurzweg

(Published in CUBE Hamburg 01|21)