The family's online search led them to Weber + Hummel, an architectural firm renowned for designing contemporary villas. The Stuttgart-based office took on the challenge of creating their new home. The design had to contend with a 1974 zoning plan, an access road to the south, and a coveted northern vista. The solution: organizing the functional spaces across three tiers. The hillside and upper floors fully embrace the panoramic views, while the ground level opens to southern sunlight and garden through floor-to-ceiling glass. Layered walls of natural stone and Corten steel shield the garden from street noise, creating a contemplative retreat that also serves as the home's welcoming entrance. Step through the front door, and the distant landscape becomes the organizing principle throughout. The young family wanted adaptability built in—the hillside level is designed to function as a self-contained apartment with its own entrance.

Every element was conceived holistically: custom interior design for bathrooms, the wellness area, and fireplace; integrated architectural lighting at strategic points. Material choices reinforce the modern language—plaster surfaces with generous roof overhangs define the upper floor's elegant, floating quality. By contrast, natural wood slat cladding grounds the ground floor in its garden setting, with oak interiors continuing this organic sensibility. The design strategy—deep overhangs, solar-control glazing, and radiation-reflective screens—naturally manages summer heat, while an intelligent low-energy heating and ventilation system ensures winter comfort.

Planning and construction were conducted almost entirely online, since the clients were living abroad—a coordination-intensive process that demanded precision. The brief was clear: every detail had to be tailored to their specific needs. Over 2.5 years, this intensive collaboration yielded a new residence that sits beautifully within its landscape. The architects demonstrated masterful skill in working with the site's steep topography and channeling the extraordinary views across all three levels.

www.weber-hummel.de

Living space: 275 square meters
Plot size: 734,275 square meters
Construction period: 2.5 years
Construction method: Solid masonry
Energy concept: Air-source heat pump with heat recovery

Photography Credits:

Gerd Schaller

(Published in CUBE Stuttgart 01|23)