The days of the house that previously stood on this site were numbered. It was demolished down to the partially basement level, and a new building was erected on the property. The structural framework of the existing building could not have met the requirements of the new construction. The new owner is both developer and architect, combining both roles. He designed a villa rooted in the Bauhaus tradition that presents itself completely differently from every cardinal direction. The site was slightly elevated, so as one approaches, the house's front facade from the east appears as a stepped architectural form, conceived from various rectangular blocks and cubes. The property is bordered by a white wall. Black partition walls zone the garden, creating distinct outdoor areas and separate front and rear gardens. This two-story single-family residence in Mönchengladbach incorporates various materials: on the ground floor, the walls are partly masonry, partly concrete. The upper floor, by contrast, is constructed in timber frame. Through the use of columns and extensive glazing on the ground floor, the structure feels light and transparent, allowing for open floor plans inside. The spatial organization of the ground floor follows the classic cooking-dining-living pattern. The master bedroom and bath, as well as the children's bedrooms and bathrooms, are located on the upper floor. The basement level features a small guest apartment as well as a sauna and wellness area. Parts of the interior design were also developed by the architect team itself, such as a solid,

4.5-metre-long oak dining table. The client's ambition was clear: to create an architecture that transcends conventional spatial definitions, pushing them to new extremes. "We deliberately oversized certain proportions—the rooms themselves—while undersizing others, like the doorways, to amplify the sensation of space," explains architect Torbali. His north star is Mies van der Rohe's timeless principle: "Less is more." He champions radical restraint, distilling every element to what is truly necessary, beautiful, and enduring—executed in premium materials with uncompromising design rigour. The floors feature seamless platinum-white screed, tiles without grout lines, and frameless window profiles create unbroken sightlines throughout.

The outdoor spaces echo the interior palette, ensuring a harmonious flow between inside and out. Garden areas incorporate marble chippings as a refined aggregate, with broad stone platforms providing natural seating. An air-source heat pump serves as the primary energy system, complemented by a photovoltaic installation on the flat roof when additional capacity is needed.

www.ap-torbali.de

Living area: 447 m²
Property size: 2,400 m²
Construction period: 2021-2022
Construction method: Brick, concrete, timber
Energy concept: Air/heat pump

Photography Credits:

Giulia Coscia
www.fotografie-coscia.de

(Published in CUBE Düsseldorf 01|23)