A small exaggeration is forgiven. Of course, the house isn't entirely glass. Yet the fully glazed front facing the hillside certainly creates that impression. In a quiet side valley near Weßling—a picturesque Upper Bavarian town in the Five Lakes Region between Lake Starnberg and Lake Ammer—Munich-based architectural firm Spacial Solutions created this striking residence that commands every eye. Perched on a slope with its crystalline facade oriented westward toward the valley, the property presents itself as a single-family home while harboring two vertically separated apartments and a roof studio. Residents access the apartments via a carport situated beneath the garden, dimensioned according to local parking ordinances. A gently ascending staircase descends into the recessed basement. The roof studio, reached by an external staircase on the mountain-facing gable, functions as an independent dwelling when needed. A small wooded area graces the eastern boundary behind the house, integral to the property. The basement employs precast concrete, while the above-grade structure stands entirely in cross-laminated timber (CLT), prefabricated through CNC precision manufacturing. The window frames serve as load-bearing structural elements, with elegant post-and-beam glazing applied directly to them. This crystalline front endows the house with a refined, weightless quality, while its compact footprint ensures energetic efficiency. The asymmetrical gable roof emerges as a defining design signature. Building regulations imposed a 6-meter maximum wall height on the sloping terrain—a constraint that inspired this tilted form. Fortuitously, the roof's expansive, gently pitched south-facing plane accommodates a generous photovoltaic array (now operational) without visual intrusion. Deep overhangs on both valley and mountain sides, paired with delicate suspended balconies and retractable external screens, shield the windows from solar gain and weathering. At the narrow ends—nearly windowless—the roof extends downward and wears corrugated panels. The rear wall, facing upslope, maintains measured glazing compared to the transparency of the front. Interior spatial drama unfolds through carefully orchestrated voids. The southern unit features a gallery suspended from the roof, overlooking the living-dining realm. The northern apartment integrates its staircase directly into the living space, with a work gallery flowing from it. Inside, the timber construction remains gloriously visible throughout. Fixed wooden furnishings crafted from spruce plywood reinforce the design narrative. All CNC-fabricated CLT elements and cabinetry were finished in white lacquer, preserving the authentic tactile warmth and visual grain of the wood.

www.spacial-solutions.com

Living space: 298 m²
Plot size: 1,350 m²
Construction period: June 2020 – May 2021
Construction method: Exposed cross-laminated timber (walls, ceilings, roof) on solid foundation
Energy concept: KfW 55 standard; hybrid heating system (pellets with PV support)

Photography Credits:

Oliver Schuh
www.palladium.de

(Published in CUBE Munich 02|23)