Beck Oser Architects

The dwelling house is part of the design plan Mühle, which primarily aims to preserve the protected mill and the surroundings of the mill. On the south side the building complex will be completed with the replacement building for the burnt-down barn, giving it the necessary spatial and historically justified importance. The result is an attractive, pleasant sized space, usable for various activities. Since the houses on the Sternenbergstrasse, which are also part of the design plan, are at a reasonable distance and clearly distinguished in the architectural formulation, the legibility of the historical ensemble is strengthened.

The four duplex apartments are all directly accessible from the mill court. The innovative apartment layout with controlled spatial overlaps and nesting allows all residents to use the spacious and spatially exciting attic (vertical orientation) and on the ground and upper floor two apartment widths (horizontal orientation). The result is a surprising combination of the advantages of duplex and storey apartments. The half-storey concept allows a precise building placement in the slope and creates exciting spatial sequences. Two apartments are equipped with garden seating; two apartments are enjoying the private outdoor space in form of loggias.

Thanks to a clever lighting control system no openings in the roof were necessary. The external appearance with vertical wooden slats, solid base and tiled roof points to the original use, but converts the theme of the barn in a contemporary form. Sustainability in terms of resource use is given by the careful handling of space and size, as well as the use of raw materials and the equipment with environmentally friendly pellet heating, which is also used for hot water production.