Architects Peter Thomas Hornung and Elsa Katharina Jacobi are the brains behind this ultra modern winding house here in Buschelhof, Germany. Known for a particular flair for futuristic design, the architecture firm follows suit with its signature style in this project as well. Situated next to a forest in southern Germany, by all accounts this is not your typical countryside home. The sculptural white structure takes shape as a contemporary, continuous twisting volume – a long linear wing extending across the hilltop, and zigzagging its way down to the lower level and parking pad tucked beneath the house. This winding design allows for intimacy without compromising the views. Here’s a quick tour.
The home’s unusual shape is about as far from “natural” as you can get, a nice contrast to the earthy forest nearby. But with massive windows and lots of openings integrated into the design, this house merges life and nature by design.
Visible from afar, this contemporary style house sits perched on a partial slope, cantilevered over a three-meter dip in the land. The rest of the house is buried into the hillside, peeking out with its white facade and walkout to the paved area below.
A set of stairs leads down into a sunken courtyard, where you find yourself wrapped in walls of lush greenery surrounding the parking pad. This functional spot is artfully concealed beneath the house and hill, camouflaged by its leafy enclosure, complete with a walkout.
It must be amazing to drive home along this vertical lawn, right to the entrance of the house.
Overhead, the upper level living areas are openly concealed behind walls of glass, letting in the natural light and the views.
The cool, clean interiors are finished in a crisp of white, with glass elements complementing the floor-to-ceiling glazed walls encircling this space. Echoing the exterior stairway leading to the below-grade garage area, an interior staircase takes you down to the lower living areas.
The minimalist interiors – white walls, floors and ceilings – are cool and simple, in sharp contrast to the verdant green surroundings. It’s this contrast that allows for interiors to be so stark, warmed up only by the sunlight pouring in through the glass walls and skylights.
The kitchen can be exposed within this open concept living area, or sliding pocket doors allow you to close off this space, serving up privacy for the chef of the house.
These doors are a simple but ingenious little feature – pull them out when needed, tuck them away when not. And in terms of function, these are an essential element in this home.
When closed, the “wall” is totally unassuming.
The few thoughtful furnishings and adornments in the house deliver lively pops of color, luxurious materials and strong silhouettes with an almost sculptural result within this gallery-like space.
Just beyond the floor-to-ceiling glass walls, a wood patio offers an alfresco spot to sunning, sipping, snoozing. The jagged wood planks take this deck from ordinary to extraordinary. The floor-to-ceiling glass walls are lined with a curtain, offering privacy when you want it with the simple swipe of the gauzy white fabric.
By night, the house glows like illuminated artwork.
Here are the floor plans illustrating how the ground floor and first floor are organized:
The roof diagram shows a sizable photovoltaic panel mounted to the roof.
This smart design maximizes living space while minimizing the structure’s footprint. To keep a smaller scale and to maximize privacy, the home winds its way below grade, with a carved-out parking pad below. The first floor is dedicated to living areas.
Hornung And Jacobi Architecture
