A property owner envisioned transforming his outdoor space into a place for relaxation and contemplation, while also accommodating social gatherings. Beyond that brief, Römer Kögeler Partner Architects received complete creative freedom from their friend and client. Their vision: a sheltered pavilion anchoring the newly built pool area. The main constraint lay in working within a surprisingly compact footprint.

The counterpoint to this aquatic installation is a glass cube whose roof appears to hover weightlessly overhead. Conceived as a multifunctional space, it features radiant ceiling heating and integrated lighting. The structure—a column-free glass construction with load-bearing glass walls—blurs distinctions between interior and exterior, between what is seen and unseen. The roof showcases a stylised labyrinth of branches, framed by the surrounding trees, while the interplay of light and shadow continuously reveals new spatial dimensions. Alongside glass, greywacke was selected as the defining material for outdoor flooring and the enclosure walls, which seamlessly incorporate a television, outdoor kitchen, and shower. The deeply textured natural stone surface—with its pronounced recesses and projections—shifts dramatically with changing light, creating dynamic, nuanced shadow play. The lighting design itself becomes sculptural: the light channel sits within a joint, making the source invisible. This restrained palette of two materials—glass and greywacke—each expressing distinctly different craftsmanship, coarse and refined—gives rise to an exceptional retreat, developed in close collaboration with landscape planners. "The client absolutely loves it," architect Bernd Römer reflects with satisfaction.

www.roemerpartner.com

Photos:
Jens Willebrand
www.willebrand.com

(Featured in CUBE Cologne Bonn 03|24)