In this new development area, this was the last remaining undeveloped parcel—and its steep slope had discouraged previous builders. The couple and their two children saw opportunity where others saw obstacles: a home that would frame views into the valley while creating terraces oriented to every direction. Neunwerk Architects from Bornheim seized this potential, designing a structure that transforms the challenging topography into an architectural asset through a geometrically refined aesthetic and seamless open-plan living.

The zoning ordinance originally designated two separate building envelopes for two detached homes. The architects successfully consolidated these into one larger footprint. Similarly, the strict design requirements—light-colored plaster facades and traditional gabled roofs with dark tiles—were thoughtfully reinterpreted. The home comprises two two-story volumes positioned at different elevations, interlocking at the middle level. The lower volume turns inward from neighboring properties, manifesting as a minimalist cube with expansive glazing; the upper section adopts a more restrained gabled form. This three-level stratification creates distinct outdoor terraces, each with its own character and function. Programmatically, the levels unfold naturally: the basement level of the cube contains a home office, fitness area, and direct access to a generous swimming pool; the middle tier opens to an expansive living-kitchen-dining continuum with a terrace offering panoramic valley views; bedrooms occupy the top floor with their own intimate roof terrace. An open stairwell—positioned where the two volumes meet—binds these spaces together, anchored by a striking six-meter-high exposed concrete wall. This material austerity extends throughout: a polished mineral screed floor runs almost continuously, reinforcing the home's spatial fluidity and dissolving boundaries between inside and out. Large-format exterior paving echoes this seamlessness. Environmentally, the home employs a hybrid energy system pairing a heat pump with a gas condensing boiler for peak demand, complemented by controlled ventilation and air conditioning in the upper sleeping quarters.

www.neunwerk.de

Photography Credits:

Axel Hartmann
www.ah-fotografie.de

(Published in CUBE Cologne Bonn 03|23)