The house, which was purchased by a family of four on the outskirts of Schildgen in Bergisch Gladbach, appeared idyllic - in the middle of a spacious plot with mature trees in close proximity to a landscape conservation area. At the same time, however, it also created a somewhat confusing impression: the composition of the buildings was inconsistent, appeared heterogeneous and the overall impression was obstructed.    

The building, built in 1930, was initially designed as a single-storey summer house by the architect Ernst Nolte (1897-1973), who was known for his post-war buildings in Cologne. The following year, he planned an extension on the hillside: a two-storey cube and a stair tower were added to provide the owner's family with a permanent residence. The Cologne architect Wolfgang Rettberg, who was commissioned with the renovation and conversion, combined the three volumes for the first time to create a clear façade with harmonious proportions. He adapted the room program to the individual living requirements of the owners. The family wanted the first floor to be opened up with larger windows. Newly inserted window fronts with filigree steel profiles unify the lintel heights in the kitchen and living room areas. On the first floor in particular, the narrow profiles made it possible to create long "sitting windows". All renewed window openings were also designed according to the proportions of the golden ratio. In combination with the white, smoothly plastered façade and the filigree roof rails, this results in a much clearer façade appearance, which in terms of design is based on the Neues Bauen of the 1920s. The spacious living room with a grand piano is occasionally used for house concerts with an audience. A skylight cut vertically into the building creates a relationship between the room on the first floor and the sky: Once a year, the spectacle of the summer solstice can be experienced here. Finally, the clients' sleeping area was constructed as a fully transparent glass cube with sun protection on the roof terrace. This brings the starry sky close enough to touch at night.

www.architekt-rettberg.de

Photos:

Achim Bednorz
www.achimbednorz.com

(Published in CUBE Cologne Bonn 04|21)