nórma Da.'s List: Arquitectura de portada

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• Over the years the Vitra Campus has become an architecture museum, featuring works by the most renowned architects:  Frank Ghery, Zaha Hadid, Alvaro Siza, Tadao Ando, Jean Pruvé, Nicholas Grimshaw, Buckminster Fuller and SANAA (under construction).

   

  The latest addition to the complex is the VitraHaus building, a series of stacked pitched-roof boxed, designed by Herzog & de Meuron for Vitra’s Home Collection:

   

   

  In January 2004, Vitra launched its Home Collection, which includes design classics as well as re-editions and products by contemporary designers. As a company whose previous activity was primarily focused on office furnishings and business clients, Vitra created the Home Collection with a new target group in mind: individual customers with an interest in design.
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• Standing on the northern side of the grounds in front of the fenced perimeter of the production premises, the VitraHaus joins two other buildings in this area, the Vitra Design Museum by Frank Gehry (1989) and the Conference Pavilion by Tadao Ando (1993).
• The concept of the VitraHaus connects two themes that appear repeatedly in the oeuvre of Herzog & de Meuron: the theme of the archetypal house and the theme of stacked volumes. In Weil am Rhein, it was especially appropriate to return to the idea of the ur-house, since the primary purpose of the five-storey building is to present furnishings and objects for the home. Due to the proportions and dimensions of the interior spaces – the architects use the term ‘domestic scale’ – the showrooms are reminiscent of familiar residential settings. The individual ‘houses’, which have the general characteristics of a display space, are conceived as abstract elements. With just a few exceptions, only the gable ends are glazed, and the structural volumes seem to have been shaped with an extrusion press. Stacked into a total of five stories and breathtakingly cantilevered up to 49 feet in some places, the twelve houses, whose floor slabs intersect the underlying gables, create a three-dimensional assemblage – a pile of houses that, at first glance, has an almost chaotic appearance.
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• The charcoal color of the exterior stucco skin unifies the structure, ‘earths’ it and connects it to the surrounding landscape. Like a small, vertically layered city, the VitraHaus functions as an entryway to the Campus. A wooden plank floor defines an open central area, around which five buildings are grouped: a conference area, an exhibition space for the chair collection of the Vitra Design Museum and a conglomerate comprising the Vitra Design Museum Shop, the lobby with a reception area and cloakroom, and a café with an outdoor terrace for summer use. A lift takes visitors to the fourth storey, where the circular tour begins. Upon exiting the lift, the glazed northern end of the room offers a spectacular view of the Tüllinger Hill. The opposite end – where the glass front is recessed to create an exterior terrace – opens to a panorama of Basel with the industrial facilities of the pharmaceutical sector. As one discovers on the path through the VitraHaus, the directional orientation of the houses is hardly arbitrary, but is determined by the views of the surrounding landscape.
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• The complexity of the interior space arises not only from the angular intersection of the individual houses but also from the integration of a second geometrical concept. All of the staircases are integrated into expansive, winding organic volumes that figuratively eat their way through the various levels of the building like a worm, sometimes revealing fascinating visual relationships between the various houses, at other times blocking the view
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• With maximum dimensions of 187 feet in length, 177 feet in width and 69.8 feet in height, the VitraHaus rises above the other buildings on the Vitra Campus. The deliberate intention was not to create a horizontal building, the common type for production facilities, but rather a vertically oriented structure with a small footprint, which grants an overview in multiple senses: an overview of the surrounding landscape and the factory premises, but also an overview of the Home Collection. Just as interior and exterior spaces interpenetrate, so do two types of forms: the orthogonal-polygonal, as perceived from the exterior, and the organic, which produces a series of spatial surprises in the interior – a ’secret world’ (in the words of Herzog & de Meuron) with a suggestive, almost labyrinthine character. On their path through the five stories, visitors traverse the Vitra Home cosmos, ultimately returning to their starting point.
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• Project: Infiniski Manifesto House
   Architects: James & Mau
   Location: Curacaví, Chile
   Built Area: 160 m2 ( + 15 m2 terraces 2nd floor)
   Landscaping: Infiniski
   General Contractor and manager: Infiniski
   Renewable strategy: Infiniski + Geotek
   Project year: 2009
   Execution Time: 90 days
   Total Cost: 79.000 €
   Photograph: Antonio Corcuera
   Furniture: Cómodo Studio, gt_2P
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• Infiniski designs and builds eco-friendly houses and buildings based on the use of recycled, reused and non polluting materials and the integration of alternative and renewable energy. The Infiniski projects are designed by James&Mau – Architects and designers,  Jaime Gaztelu and Mauricio Galeano, founders and partners of Infiniski. James & Mau offer Innovative and contemporary designs based on bioclimatic and modular architecture.  Infiniski is not only green, it is cheaper and faster … it tries to think the values of architecture and construction differently; a contribution to the needs of our changing environment.

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• Anne Holtrop’s Trail House follows a series of trails in the ground that were created by the daily circulation of pedestrians. The house becomes the path and transforms the inside into a “walking home.”   As the house branches along the series of paths, it becomes narrower and then wider to provide ever-changing views of the site.  In this way, Holtrop makes a specific link with the environment by showing the house as a product of the site.
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• “The hiker does not know exactly where the trail ends and the house begins. At what point does the unsuspecting walker experience the presence of the house, at what distance does he feels the discomfort of entering private property?”
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• As seen on blog.bellosta.  Photographs Gert Jan van Rooij and Bas Princen

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• The Dutch submission to the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai is an exceptional one. This time around, it will not be the classic pavilion with long lines of visitors waiting outside and a presentation inside. The Netherlands is making its appearance at China’s world exposition along an entire street. The submission, entitled “Happy Street”, is the response by designer John Kormeling to the Chinese Expo theme “Better City, Better Life” and the sub-themes:

   

  - Urban cultural diversity
   - Urban economic growth and prosperity
   - Innovation in science and technology in urban contexts
   - Remodelling urban communities
   - Interaction between urban and rural areas.

   

  Find out more about Holland’s pavilion right here.
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• Architects: Parque Humano
   Location: Valle de Bravo, Mexico
   Project Team: Jorge Covarrubias + Benjamín González Henze with Omar Martínez and Isaias Lopez
   Structure: Ing. Ricardo Camacho
   Electrical: Islas Ingeniería
   Mechanical: H20 Solutions
   Interior Design: Parque Humano
   Landscape Design: Jerónimo Hagerman
   Lighting Design: Parque Humano
   General Contractor: Constructora TUCA SA
   Project Area: 650 sqm
   Project Year: 2006-2009
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• Site

   

  The house is located in Valle de Bravo, Estado de Mexico, Mexico, weather ranges from 33°C to -2°C. The plot faces Avándaro Lake and the protected forest area of Cerro Gordo, rich in pine and oak trees.

   

  Program

   

  Living, dining, Kitchen and multiporpuse rm (studio, tv, game rm), 2 bedrooms.
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• Concept

   

  For the concept of this project, we asked ourselves whether or not we were capable of building a house that would respect nature to the fullest and forge a connection with the building’s surroundings (without speaking of energy, sustainability, and ecology) that through its impact and experience would generate that same respect for the natural world. To do so, we have taken advantage of the slope of the land in order to create visual connections at different elevations with the existing vegetation and landscape beyond.
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• The site is a splendid plot covering 3,500 m2 with rich and varied flora, very tall trees, and a view towards the layered hills of Valle de Bravo – a town 150 km south-west of Mexico City. The climate is cool in winter while summer temperatures can reach 35°C and heavy rain falls daily between June and October.

   

  The house occupies a natural ledge in the hillside, facing the view to the south and turning its back to the winds coming in from the north. The ground drops away beneath the floor, emphasizing the slope of the land and thereby dramatizing the house’s progress through the site. The house evokes the feeling of floating above the garden, accentuating a sense of contact with nature.
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• The continuity between landscape and building is stressed by a glazed structural window system, transcending conventional distinctions between inside and outside. As a result, all the spaces are in direct and intimate contact with the outdoors. The play of light and shadow upon these windows echoes the abstracted shadows of trees cast across the courtyards of the convent in Desierto de los Leones, located near Mexico City.
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• The cladding of the house evolved progressively in order to fit into the context of the town. An artisanal clay veneer was specially developed for the project, similar in texture to the traditional houses that you notice in the area. Its reaction to the weather causes the material to change constantly in response to varying levels of humidity.

   

  Two pavilions, unequal in size, are set in front of the pool area. The first and biggest one contains the living and dining spaces, kitchen and a working studio. The second one: two bedrooms. Each pavilion was carefully placed on the site, incorporating all the existing trees into the program and facing the most important views. The house is deeply rooted in the existing landscape.
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• Upon arrival, the visitor encounters several experiences: the escarpment, the flora, the house, the reflecting pool. Visitors are received under the protection of a steel enclosure, entering through a small door that leads to the living room, thereby emphasizing the contrast between the closed nature of the entrance and the full openness of the living spaces and the valley itself.
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• Architects: Enota
   Location: Podčetrtek, Slovenia
   Project Team: Dean Lah, Milan Tomac, Petra Ostanek, Anže Zalaznik, Eva Matjašič, Darko Vasiljevič, Mojca Žerjav
   Client: Terme Olimia
   Landscape Architecture: Bruto
   Structure: Elea iC
   Mechanical Engineer: Proinstal
   Electrical Installation: Elita IB
   Project Area: 15,200 sqm
   Budget: 12,000,000 EUR
   Project Year: 2006
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• Wellness Hotel Sotelia fills the gap between two existing hotels, both of them not hiding their different architectural origins. New hotel is not trying to summarize samples from nearby structures but rather clearly distances itself from the built environment and connects, instead, with its natural surroundings.
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• In design process primary concern was to avoid immense building mass, like the one suggested in the client’s brief, which would have blocked the last remaining view of the forest. The volume is broken up into small units arranged in landscape-hugging tiers. As a result, the four storey 150-room building appears much lower and smaller then this description would suggest.
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• The specific shape of the hotel was dictated by the folds in the landscape. The unique structures offers passer-by some strong spatial experiences: from the front, the building is perceived as a two-dimensional set composed of parallel planes placed one behind the other; a walk around the hotel reveals entirely different views of the timber facade, from a plane vertical wooden slats to a rhythmic arrangement of balconies and wooden terraces.
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• Architecture: Katsuhiro Miyamoto & Associates
   Location: Kamiina-District, Nagano, Japan
   Principal in Charge: Katsuhiro Miyamoto
   Project Team: Isamu Tamaishi, Takenori Uotani
   Structural Engineering: Hirokazu Toki / University of Shiga Prefecture & Takashi Manda/ Takashi Manda structural design
   General Contractor: Shibusaki Kensetsu
   Site Area: 862.63 sqm
   Built Area: 243.42 sqm
   Total Floor Area: 226,18 sqm
   Project Year: 2009
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• Chushin-ji is a Buddhist temple nestled in the Japan Alps. It boasts a long history of over 550 years. The head priest desired to make use of these Priest’s Quarters for such events as exhibitions, lectures and concerts where locals can gather. The residential area and the common space are arranged under a large roof, like a large umbrella, that takes the rhythm of the roofs of the adjacent main hall and reception hall into consideration
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• The roof is made of thick concrete so that it would last for 100 or 200 years. It comprises a nested structure as the wooden residential area and other areas are housed underneath. The roof is strong enough to bear heavy snow loads, there is a lot of leeway for the interior design. Renovations are also feasible in the future.
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• Moreover the existence of the common space is recognizable due to the roof, and it fulfills the role of linking the temple with local residents.

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• Atlantan Shawn Moseley worked closely with architect Scott Ball to design and build his new downtown-loft-style home. Via Dwell.
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• Architect: Cristobal Valenzuela Haeussler
   Location: Fundo las Palmas, Leyda; V Region, Chile
   Project Year: 2008
   Collaborator: Angela Delorenzo Arancibia
   Structural Engineer: Manuel José Ruiz
   Contractor: Cristobal Valenzuela Haeussler
   Budget: US $660 / sqm
   Site Area: 2 ha
   Constructed Area: 210 sqm
• We asked ourselves, in which way could we design an interior space, that remains completely open to the exterior that surrounds it, visually. Opening some views that the main country house didn’t seized. Mainly that the project atmosphere, was to be inside and outside at the same time.
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• Based on these idea, we were interested in the way, that the “ramadas” (structure built for independence feasts), used eucalyptus branches, creating a skin, which constantly registers daylight, changing the perception from the interior space. Used in the project, this skin, at the same time filters daylight and gives some privacy to the project that is covered mostly by glass, as this wooden skin doesn’t let the interior to be seen from the out side, but permits full visibility from the inside to the exterior space. At the same time we took the circulation system concept from old Chilean country houses. An open corridor, that in this case connects the program in a perimetral way. Other materials, like steel for the structure, and reinforced concrete for the barbecue and fireplace, where used too.
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• The project is organized through the barbecue area, main space, where most of the activity takes place. Other areas like the pool, hot tub and fire place, are connected to the main space, allowing several different ambiences, all of them visually connected. All these areas wrapped as one big space, by the wooden skin, made up from 1×3 inches Ulmo wood planks, gives the interior-exterior feeling that we wanted to achieve. The gym, massage room, and steam bath, are connected with the rest of the program, but where conceived as much more private spaces.

   

  The project is located in a high plane in the 2 ha garden, so it would overlook the valley, and the fruit trees plantation, adding this last area to the garden.
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• So we built a ventilate space, covered by a wooden skin, that during a very hot chilean summer, it’s a cool shaded place, and during cold winters, it’s a warm interior, completely connected with the garden and the Leyda valley views.
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• Durante los días 9,10 y 11, en el edificio del Baluarte de Pamplona, se celebró el congreso de arquitectura “más por menos”, organizado por la fundación Arquitectura y Sociedad.  Durante el transcurso del mismo, pudimos disfrutar de la presencia de un variado elenco de protagonistas venidos de todos los continentes que intentaron explicar que era eso de dar “más por menos”. Aquí os dejamos una crónica de lo que para nosotros fueron los momentos más llamativos de estos tres bonitos días.
• Estamos hablando de un congreso (simposio) de primer nivel internacional, con la presencia de tres premios Pritzker y la de otras muchas personalidades a cada cual más interesante.
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• Las esperanzas depositadas en el congreso eran altas y el formato por el que se apostó era bastante atractivo. Cada ponente disponía de cuarenta minutos, a los que se sucedían mesas redondas (bajo un lema) entre cada tres participantes. La mayoría de ellos dieron más por menos  (de hecho, dieron mucho más por menos), y algunos (los menos) dieron muy poco, seguramente, por bastante.

   

  A nuestro entender, ni  Renzo Piano ni Jacques Herzog, parecieron adaptarse demasiado al  lema del congreso, ni por lo que enseñaron ni por cómo lo contaron. Mientras que el suizo se despachó a gusto afirmando que “el lema del congreso es un poco estúpido” y dejándonos joyas conceptuales como que “architecture is architecture”, el arquitecto  italiano, por su parte, hizo un repaso por su trayectoria para terminar enseñándonos su yate que, según sus propias palabras, era ecológico porque utilizaba la fuerza del viento.
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• Hubo un momento del evento que resultó bastante significativo, cuando Glenn Murcutt les dijo a los otros dos pritzker, después de que declarasen ambos (con cierto orgullo) la enorme cantidad de gente que tenían trabajando en sus estudios: “yo llevo mi estudio mientras que  a vosotros os lleva vuestro estudio”.

   

  Como no podía ser de otra manera, el arquitecto australiano (que asistió a todas las ponencias del congreso) fue uno de los  que más fino hilo hablando de sostenibilidad. Entró de lleno en el tema hilvanando este concepto con la sensatez y el sentido común, dejando claro que la belleza era una consecuencia y no un fin en sí mismo, mientras  otros ponentes como Herzog, no dejaban de tirar balones fuera, argumentando que “la ecología es tan evidente que ni siquiera vale la pena hablar de ella”. ¿Evidente? Nosotros no lo tenemos tan claro, pero bueno, es palabra de pritzker y habrá que creerle.
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• En esta misma línea de arquitectura sensata que nos mostró Murcutt, nos sobrecogió la presentación de Diébédo Francis Kéré. El arquitecto de Gando nos contó cómo orienta toda su energía (que os aseguramos que es muchísima!) en reducir a su máxima esencia  sus proyectos ante al evidente  falta de recursos que dispone para poder llevarlos a cabo en un país como Burkina Faso.  Esto sí que es “más por menos”, Francis fue el único niño de su aldea  que consiguió estudiar, para con el tiempo llegar a realizar la carrera de arquitectura en Alemania, y antes de licenciarse  ya había recaudado fondos para poder levantar su primera escuela en su  tierra natal. De esta forma, pudimos comprobar cómo la arquitectura, no con menos, sino con nada, puede cambiar la vida de la gente. Toda la sala quedó prendada de su presentación desde el primer momento.  Se puede decir que llevó el lema del congreso al extremo de “con nada todo”. Un diez para Francis.

• Con esta misma actitud despojada de todo lo superfluo estuvieron encaminadas las presentaciones de Anne Lacaton , Giancarlo Mazzanti y Alejandro Aravena.

   

  Anne, relató su experiencia laboral haciendo énfasis en cómo se puede hacer de la escasez virtud. La pareja francesa, siempre actúa desde lo esencial de la arquitectura, intentando sacar el máximo rendimiento de las limitaciones. Mientras que el arquitecto colombiano  nos hizo ver más de un proyecto en el que sus edificios habían revitalizado diferentes barrios pobres de Medellín, demostrando nuevamente el poder de la arquitectura para intervenir en situaciones sociales bien complicadas.

   

  Sobre la ponencia de Alejandro Aravena, solo decir que en su trabajo con el  grupo Elemental, nada tiene que hacer para adaptarse al  lema del congreso, pues es parte de su ADN estructural. El “menos” es su ámbito laboral y, sin embargo, con tan pocos recursos ellos han sabido cambiar la vida de muchas familias con una arquitectura de esencia y precisión.

   

  Y para terminar, quisiéramos dejaros con las palabras del incombustible y revolucionario esloveno  Slavoj Žižek, quien en la rueda de prensa del último día comentó,  “cuando el arquitecto empieza a hablar de poesía es porque tiene los bolsillos demasiado llenos”.

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• finished fab lab house in madrid
• since our last article on the fab lab house, the team from IAAC has built their design
   at the villa solar in madrid as their entry into the first european solar decathlon. in just three days,
   more than 5000 people have visited the house, seeing up-close the solar mechanisms of the
   design as well as the inhabitable space both indoors and outdoors. visit inhabitat to view more
   images of the completed house.
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• following the success of the U.S. solar decathlon, the government of spain's ministry of
   housing and the department of energy of the USA have teamed up to host europe's first
   solar decathlon in madrid. with the objective of achieving the cheapest solar home
   in the world, the institute for advanced architecture of catalonia (IAAC) has designed and
   fabricated the 'fab lab house' as their official entry into the competition. the 75 m2 house
   is suitable for a family of 4 and the use of light wood as its main structural component makes
   it possible to assemble the house in fifteen days.
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• IAAC's vision from the start was to achieve a new model of industrialization rather than
   simply resorting to mass standardization. by utilizing new production techniques and the
   latest in digital machines, IAAC saw each product being unique and adaptable to a specific
   set of issues. in the case of the 'fab lab house', climatic conditions were considered in the shape
   and structure of its design. by working with models and climatic data, a paraboloid form
   was shaped and distorted to achieve an optimal orientation for summer in various cities
   around the world. the shape also allowed for a large volume while minimizing on the
   external surface area. the dwelling is elevated off the ground on three legs, allowing for
   natural ventilation as well as a space for outdoor activities.
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• assembling the fab lab house
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• the wooden components are laser cut from 1220x1440mm plywood sheets and transported
   to the site to be assembled.
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• prototypes diagram
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• belgian studio dmvA have sent in images of their project 'house vvdb'
   in the eighties architect jan van den berghe built his own house on a plot of land,
   close to the channel mechelen-brussels.
   
   the roof-type, symmetrical ground plan, wooden structure and the use of cement stone
   with many-coloured aluminium joinery, were the main characteristics of this period
   building period in flanders. the post-modern pyramid house was a statement for
   the seventies/eighties.
   
   architect van den berghe requested dmvA to refurbish his own house for his daughter.
   no spectacular alterations, but subtle interventions, round perforations through
   the floors, a new central spiral staircase and ‘whitening’ of the floors.
   
   located on the ground floor is the maub entrance and studio of the owner - awardt.
   on the top floor you’ll find the library. storeys in between; living room, kitchen
   and bedrooms. all storeys are connected by the red spiral stairs.
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• Ce beau projet, intitulé Wilkinson Residence, est visible dans la forêt de Portland. Avec une architecture en parfaite harmonie avec la nature, cette maison construite dans les arbres a été imaginée par le créateur Robert Harvey Oshatz
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• This £4 million property located in the suburbs southwest of London "must be one of the most unique spaces to have come to the market in recent local history," estate agents Knight Frank justifiably claim.
• After all, it is "a former torpedo testing tank, set within the wonderful Royal Park of Bushy, close to Hampton Court, converted into an amazing house."

  Standing within walled private gardens of 1.3 acres and extending to approximately 10,133 sq ft (940 sq m) this curved property offers not only a great and unique space but the potential to create a very special property indeed... The site was used by the Admiralty during the Second World War and was a circular domed building containing a 46m pool used to test torpedoes as they spun around at the end of a metal arm. After the war, the architects Norman and Dawbarn were commissioned to turn the tank into a modern house. They utilised the 4ft thick "blast proof" curved concrete walls in a very contemporary style using an abundance of glass and aluminium beneath a copper roof to create a very light and open space. There is huge scope to further improve the property and make use of large subterranean areas to provide a fabulous leisure facility.

  Being able to say—without lying—that your house has the form it does because, long ago, "torpedoes as they spun around at the end of a metal arm" outlined its foundational geometry would be awesome, indeed.
• And while £4 million seems a bit steep, if you can still test torpedoes in the basement—while boiling you and your mysterious Eastern European paramour a pot of strozzapreti in the roomy kitchen up above—then it's probably worth every cent.
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• Becoming bored with Europe, Mel & Judith eventually decide to settle down to a new life in Luxor, Egypt. They now live on a small, uninhabited island situated on the River Nile, where in their weird and wonderful ‘Do-It-Yourself’ English castle Mel brews beer in his bathtub-brewery whilst Judith bakes rose-bread in the bread-garden. Their island comes alive during the holiday season creating an English retreat in the middle of Luxor, a retreat that lures in English tourists with the opportunity to be surrounded by the sights, sounds and smells of home. The smell of roses and freshly baked bread drift through the air whilst the temptation to drink beer (which is illegal in Luxor) is impossible to resist. So if you are ever in Luxor and miss the familiarity of home, take a rowing boat over to Mel and Judith’s island for a little piece of England.
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• Architect: Anne Menke (Dipl.-Ing. / MSc) in collaboration with Winkens Architekten, Berlin
  Location: Hameln, Germany
  Year of Construction(Existing Building): 1957
  Site Area: 1,550 sqm
  Living Area Before/After: 124 sqm/284 sqm (excl. cellar)
  Total Constructed Area: 364 sqm
  Annual Heating Energy Requirements: 74 kWh/m2a
  Project Year : 2009

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  “Dear friends, we moved and are now located in paradise. Of course we can still be reached here and are looking forward to your calls and visits.”

  When I received this circular email from the client in May 2009, I knew it was completed! After 1 1/2 years of planning and construction my first project was built. The client, a married couple, had bought a site with an existing two-story, detached “Siedlungshaus” built in 1957, very common in Germany. Its location in a neighbourhood right next to the city centre, a beautiful old birch tree as well as the opportunity to purchase the adjacent unbuilt plot were unbeatable qualities.

• It all started with a wish list. For the husband the new house had to be modern. It should have generous openings and exterior spaces that connect to the garden. He was fascinated by the extraordinary use of materials and good details, which show high quality craftsmanship. The wife aspired for comfort and cosiness; it should be a “feel good-house”. She envisioned her new home fi rst of all as an interior space, as protection from the outside world. The house should look discreet and typical with a pitched roof and radiate domesticity at first glance. These were quite conflicting qualities to resolve in a single cohesive piece of architecture.

  Concept

  We saw potential in the small rundown “Siedlungshaus”, decided to renovate it and take it as an opportunity to create an innovative contrasting addition. The new 110m2 extension is conceived as a simple volume that embraces the old. Wrapped around the old building, it generates a courtyard typology with a covered terrace, which generously opens up to the garden and towards the sun.

• A variety of spatial configurations, fluent transitions from inside to outside and unexpected vistas make the house appear open and interesting, yet not transparent.

  The orientation of the addition subdivides the large garden into manifold domains. Together with the private backside of the building the old beech hedge forms an intimate “Secret Garden”, which is dominated by the giant birch tree. Towards the street between the new garage and the extension a paved open yard is created for gardening work.

• The materiality of the extension is crucial for the contrast of the Old and New to be expressed.

  The white simple look of the existing house forms a strong contrast to the striking copper cladding of the extension. Horizontal panels in several different widths enclose the new addition with its white plastered courtyard like a protective coil. The copper glows in warm lively colours, which change continuously with the weather and the years.

  Conversion

  After the renovation the old “Siedlungshaus” is barely recognizable but still it remains an integrative part of the surrounding neighbourhood. Reduced to its fine proportions and its simple volume it now shines in clear white and refreshingly stands out in order to coexist next to its modern addition. Without its former roof overhang the plain volume of the existing house steps into the foreground. The roof edge is shaped by a folded copper strip, which is flush-mounted with the white plastered walls. This clarity is further emphasized by flush-mounted windows with slim black wood-aluminium frames.

• The white plaster and the copper form a contrasting yet appealing alliance, that leaves Old and New as distinct equal parts of the whole. Towards the street a low exposed concrete wall and an offset natural stone wall mark the edge of the site and bind Old and New into one unity.

  Interior Spaces

  The existing building with a living area of 75m2 on ground level was completely gutted in favour of more ample and clear spatial proportions.

  The entrance is situated at its original location, however, now an exposed concrete element leads up four steps to the door. The entrance hall, guest toilet and study as well as the kitchen and dining area are located on the ground floor of the old house. The dining area was converted into a generous double-height space that catches the sunlight through two skylights. At the cost of one room on the upper floor a whole concrete ceiling panel was removed.

• The living room in the new part of the house features a cabinet wall that offers storage space, while a linoleum-lined niche serves as a window seat. On the opposite site a large sliding door connects the living room to the inner courtyard.

  The courtyard is the biggest “room” of the whole house. Its layout allows for direct sunlight as well as shade at any time of the day. Part of the terrace is covered; two large openings frame the views into the garden, while a neatly positioned exposed concrete wall offers protection against too much transparency.

  Three small rooms in the back of the old house were combined and became the new study. From here you can reach the private spaces of the extension, which are hidden behind the existing house. A large window in the bedroom opens up to the Secret Garden, while the dressing room connects to the inner courtyard. The upper floor of the old house was completely refurbished and now contains a guestroom with small bath as well as a yoga room with access to the attic.

• The renovated “Siedlungshaus” features a stark black-and-white-contrast as a reference to the 1950s.

  The floors are covered with large-format black tiles, all walls are white. The old staircase remains and was enriched by a curved built-up railing. All windows have hidden frames and deep sills. A bright yellow sliding door, red linoleum, as well as the guest toilet with its orange epoxy basin and antique stone ware tiles are colour spots, that form a fresh contrast to the simple white built-in furniture. Unlike the old house the new addition is made up out of warm natural colours; the oiled oak parquet connects the interior spaces to the courtyard and the garden.

  Going Green

  As the existing building was in its original state of 1957, we opted for a gut renovation of the building envelope and its services, in order to make it energy efficient and sustainable.

• The exterior walls were covered in a composite heat insulation system out of mineral fibreboards, and all openings were fitted with new high-standard wood-aluminium windows. The old roof structure was saved but the rafters were doubled-up in order to gain more space for a thick insulation layer. The old dormer was replaced by a new one; insulated and clad in copper. The ceiling of the cellar was subsequently outfitted with insulating boards. The extension has a back-ventilated facade with 14cm of mineral wool insulation and highly-insulating aluminium windows.

  These features classify the project with annual heating energy requirements of 74 kWh/m2a as a low-energy house. The whole house is equipped with radiant floor heating; a geothermal heat pump supplies the energy.

• Furthermore the extension has a green roof; the rain water is collected in a cistern and is reused.

  Haus +

  Haus+ negotiates between the opposite architectural aspirations of the clients by forming an interesting contrast between Old and New with its unique, yet strangely familiar form generated by the light-hearted sensitivity to materiality and sense of place.
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