Enjoy the silence, recharge your batteries, experience nature. The Volcanic Eifel with its deep valleys, extensive forests, volcanic peaks and crater lakes hides many a gem, which it is happy to reveal to those seeking relaxation. Time flies by, a short excursion turns into an extended stay and you never want to leave. It's good when the right accommodation is available. One that makes you feel at home as soon as you step in, where you can immediately feel the relaxation.

On a steep, south-facing, 4,000 m² meadow orchard lies just such a domicile. In fact, there are two of them. Like a barn clad in black carbonized wood, the smaller one stands on a concrete base at the top of the slope. It shields itself from the world and the slightly lower, larger house with its almost closed façade on two sides. Towards the valley, the house opens up, the roof rises and forms a generous, high gable. A floor-to-ceiling strip of windows runs along the entire south-west side, providing a spectacular view of the Little Kyll valley at any time of day or year. The 55 m² interior has a polygonal floor plan and appears considerably larger than the sheer number of square meters would suggest. The greenish shimmering flooring made of split-rough quartzite looks both elegant and raw at the same time. The open sequence of rooms, which are zoned by the ceiling height, creates a sense of space. The cooking and dining area opens up into the gallery, the living room corner radiates cosiness with its cave-like low ceiling, while the bedroom, which is open right up to the ridge, can be partitioned off with a sliding door like its own little house, promising privacy and intimacy when required. The small Vulkaneifelhaus can accommodate a maximum of two people, while the large house is almost twice as large at 106 m² and can accommodate up to six guests.

For its big brother, architects Fiederling Habersang have cleverly used the topography of the plot and arranged the rooms on different levels following the sloping terrain. There are seven in total, grouped in a spiral around a central core with a fireplace. Sometimes the rooms share the air space, sometimes they shield each other with narrow passageways. This creates an alternation of communal areas and places of retreat. Visual references within the house and to the outside space arise as if by chance and yet stage the place very consciously. This is also achieved through the harmonious choice of materials with lots of wood and large glass surfaces. Nature gently pushes its way into the consciousness and exudes relaxation unnoticed. Just as it should be.

www.vulkaneifelhaus.com

Photos:

Holger Knauf
www.holgerknauf.de
Constantin Meyer
www.constantin-meyer.de

(Published in CUBE Cologne Bonn 02|20)