Villa S sits on a hillside above the historic town of Schriesheim, in Baden-Württemberg, southwest Germany. From its elevated site the building offers panoramic views of the surrounding countryside: to the south, the Black Forest; to the west, the Palatinate and the Rhine Valley; to the east, the Odenwald mountain range; and, in the foreground, on a neighbouring hillside, the ruins of Strahlenburg Castle, built circa 1295. Within this setting, the project presents itself as an elemental two-tier structure in white cast in-situ concrete.

Villa W
Frankfurt am Main
(Under Construction)

 

 

 

 

Villa W is articulated as a series of monochromatic blocks arranged within a three tier stepped configuration. On its north facing facade the building appears impenetrable, save for the recessed entranceway, whilst full height glazing on all three levels defines its south facing elevation.

 

 

 

 

 

Structurally, the villa comprises a cast in-situ concrete frame with an infill wall composition of high insulation clay blocks. At 450 mm thick, these comfortably deliver the required U-values. Both plaster and render finishes are mineral based to ensure excellent wall breathability.

 

Internally, the four floors provide 640 sq metres of living space. Floor to ceiling heights, from the lower ground level to the second floor, measure 2.4m, 2.8m, 2.6m and 2.4m respectively. And in line with the villa's elemental aesthetic the concrete ceilings are left exposed.

At the front of the house, the symmetrical spatial and fenestration plan organises two first-floor bedrooms with en-suite wet rooms. Deeply set windows disseminate the scheme's depth and stature, as does the sizeable, sunken, trapezoidal-shaped courtyard abutting the property on its west elevation.

 

 

The main social spaces, comprising a L-shaped living and dining area on the ground floor and a gallery/study on the first floor, are located to the rear, orientated towards the garden via the fully glazed south facing elevation. Here the building's substantial structural framework allows for the insertion of a double height space (6m x 6m x 3.4m) which articulates these rooms as one large, interconnected, light-filled interior. Coquina stone slab flooring, used throughout the villa, extends out onto the adjoining L-shaped terrace bringing the outdoors in and vice versa.

































The inside-outside dynamic continues on the top floor. Full height glazing on three sides offers scenic views of the surrounding countryside, including the Taunus mountain range to the north, while diffused light from the skylight above the stairwell creates a sense of expectation as one ascends, which, on fine days, is heightened by diagonal rays of light via the south-west glazing.

Villa W,  Frankfurt am Main
High insulation clay blocks, cast in-situ concrete, glass and sandstone
Completion: autumn 2016
Modelmaker: Innovation Technologies GmbH,  Frankfurt am Main

12 x12

12x12
Milled from a solid block of aluminium
Bespoke light fitting for Villa S
2014