Casa L

Densification in the Munich suburbs is a recurring theme. With this property in Stockdorf, the focus was on how to provide urgently needed living space in the region. There was a dilapidated bungalow on the plot that could not be sensibly renovated and had to be demolished. Strict building regulations and protected trees limited the options. The solution was to build an unconventional semi-detached house with space for two families of five on a total of three floors. To achieve this, it was necessary to maximize the use of the upper floor within the building regulations and to design the basement with large “Atrium” to create a fully-fledged living space.

There is little sign of compactness on the ground floor. Upon entering, you are greeted by a large open space that combines kitchen and living areas with direct access to the garden. The upper floor features three compact rooms and a shower room suitable for up to three children or ideal for working from home. A special feature is the shape of the roof in these rooms, resulting from the optimal utilization of the maximum eaves and ridge heights. In the basement, the parents' area with bedroom and bathroom is located in the atrium spanned by a net.

The technical room for both halves of the house and a utility room are also located there. In this way, living space was created on just 119m², which feels anything but cramped and still offers space for up to five people. At 24m² per person (assuming full occupancy), this is a particularly good figure. The utilization of all areas had to be correspondingly compact. One example of this is the staircase, which uses shelves as a substructure for the steps, as well as the very compact corridors.

It is not only the staircase that has a simple but efficient design. The building is constructed as an ecological timber construction using a timber frame. The insulation made of cellulose and wood fibers is clad with spruce cladding painted with mineral paint and combined with a roof cladding made of low-maintenance stainless steel. With simple, few but well-placed wooden windows, the house is nevertheless excellently lit. Care was taken to avoid the use of plastics and glue-free building materials. For example, the impact sound insulation was made of wood fiber boards. Inside, neither vapor barrier foils nor OSB boards were used, but biofiber wood panels pressed without artificial adhesives.

Particular attention was paid to avoiding the use of construction foam and ensuring all components have detachable connections. Hot water and heating are generated by an air-to-water heat pump in a monobloc design, with only a simple exhaust air system installed in the bathrooms for ventilation. The staggered roof is ideally designed for a PV system, which is to be retrofitted in the coming years.

The personal signature of the two clients is visible in the interiors. Different floor coverings and the choice of colors and materials were used to create distinct atmospheres with almost mirror-like floor plans. The recycled materials used in Haus Ost are particularly important for sustainability. Various old tiles as well as an old kitchen were reused and recombined.

All in all, it is a simple and very compact house with two residential units that nevertheless leaves nothing to be desired for the residents.