Securing a family-friendly apartment in Frankfurt feels like winning the lottery. Even when you do find one, it rarely matches your vision of the ideal home. More often than not, the space is cramped and the rooms too small and too numerous. The clients at Point.Architektur were luckier than most. They acquired a modest 40 m² unit in a 1906 Gründerzeit townhouse and expanded it with a thoughtful rear extension featuring a staggered upper floor that extends deep into the narrow lot. This angled addition—with its distinct form, construction approach, and material palette—seamlessly bridges two distinct living worlds while creating a generous 125 m² of space perfectly suited for a family of four. The design maximizes every inch of the property and even incorporates a private garden along the boundary.

The original unit occupies the raised ground floor of the Gründerzeit building—a block-front structure of whitewashed brick with walls and plinths rendered in red sandstone. A small courtyard tucked behind the street-facing block provides the entry point to the new ground-floor addition. The fresh entrance sits at the junction where old meets new; the addition features single-layer rendered masonry walls (uninsulated) and wood-metal windows that respect the generous 2.90-meter ceiling heights of the original Altbau ground floor.

The architects thoughtfully reconfigured the original ground floor and linked it to the new wing through a restored period window. Period-defining details—elegant doors, oak herringbone flooring, and cement tiles—have been meticulously preserved. Children's bedrooms, a guest/study room, shower bath, and utility spaces occupy this zone. The new, non-basement structure houses an open-plan kitchen-dining-living space that flows seamlessly toward the courtyard garden via expansive sliding glass doors. The staggered upper floor cradles the master suite with dressing room and ensuite bath. A sculptural staircase of white fir serves as both visual anchor and practical storage, connecting both floors while ingeniously accommodating the wardrobe, kitchen components, and storage niches. White fir continues upstairs as flooring throughout the bedroom and bath areas. The wet room alone features crisp white mosaic tiles.

www.point-architektur.de

Photography Credits:

Uwe Dettmar

(Published in CUBE Frankfurt 01|23)