A multi-storey brick apartment building with 14 units recently rose on a 1,200 m² corner plot in Puchheim, replacing a smaller existing structure. In a housing market marked by scarcity, this densification effort—called for in the development plan and championed by developer Meister Wohnbau—tripled to quadrupled the usable floor area. The building's L-shaped footprint positions its shorter wing along the eastern main road. vonMeierMohr Architects from Schondorf, renowned for their visionary designs with distinctive detailing, led the design. Their signature flourish here? Hidden beneath the roof. The gently sloping roof—punctuated by seven dormers and several skylights—features a coffin-lid construction of solid concrete. This engineered solution delivers superior sun and fire protection, exceptional load-bearing capacity, and a naturally balanced indoor climate. White aluminium panels clad the exterior insulation, wrapping the entire structure in white save for the windows and entrance door.

What distinguishes this project is the collaborative vision between developer and architects, transforming a standard building task into something more refined. Wood-aluminium windows paired with elegantly twisted steel railings—particularly striking on the rear balconies—exemplify this attention to detail. Almost every unit enjoys floor-to-ceiling sliding windows. The twelve units across three storeys span a diverse range: from intimate one-bedroom flats to two expansive loft-style penthouses with generous terraces. Parquet flooring flows throughout. The stairwell opens to a communal garden, with ground-floor units benefiting from private garden access. A groundwater heat pump supplies the underfloor heating system. Concrete stairs—clad in Nero Vigo natural stone—echo the golden tones of the steel railings. Yet construction was far from straightforward. As architect Stefan Mohr reflects: "We're essentially building in groundwater. Keeping the excavation pit dry proved extraordinarily challenging. We engineered a ballast floor slab beneath the main slab to counter buoyancy and provide adequate weight. Every detail had to be executed with corresponding precision." The solution involved installing a full-storey underground car park with 21 spaces, concreting the deck above, and installing sheet piling—a complex, costly but essential procedure that ultimately anchors this refined addition to Puchheim's housing stock.

www.vonmeiermohr.de

Photography Credits:

Sven Rahm
www.svenrahm.de

(Published in CUBE Munich 02|22)