Sustainable and Partially Reversible
Living in Harmony with Nature
With this residential building, LRW Architecture and Urban Planning set out to do more than simply construct another house—they created a thoughtfully designed space for sustainable living that responds to residents' needs while respecting the environment. Situated in the heart of Osdorf's historic village centre, the site benefits from abundant greenery and a vibrant mix of urban character. This unique blend of rural charm and contemporary urbanism provided an ideal foundation for the project. The original site housed a 1950s detached home in poor condition, one that no longer met today's living standards.
The architectural vision is to create a harmonious, sustainable residential building that respects its surroundings. This three-storey home with stepped upper floors opens generously toward a peaceful south-facing garden while integrating seamlessly with neighboring structures. Sixteen thoughtfully sized units—ranging from 56 to 148 m²—accommodate diverse living needs. The building's thoughtful positioning and design minimize resource consumption and foster a vibrant, sustainable community. Green spaces, recreational areas nearby, and excellent public transit connections establish a genuinely liveable environment for all residents.
Sustainability is woven into every material choice. The façade's outer layer features recycled clinker bricks transformed into premium clay shingles—custom-engineered for the ventilated, mineral-insulated façade system. This innovation dramatically reduces material waste and scrap. Rather than screws, the shingles are secured with clips, creating both ecological and visual benefits: a striking surface texture and rich color variation. The design prioritizes dismantlable façade and balcony systems, enabling adaptive reuse and extending the building's lifespan. Central to the concept is Building Information Modeling (BIM), which unified all project aspects in a single digital environment. This advanced approach streamlined resource efficiency, eliminated planning errors, and enhanced collaboration among all project partners—each decision reinforcing the sustainability strategy.
Photo:
Ulrich Hoppe
www.selectedviews.de
(Published in CUBE Hamburg 01|24)
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