Press release
July 2015
Private home in Cologne
Projection from a cuboid
From an energy efficiency perspective, cubic building
shapes are known to be the optimum building form. But
variations on the cube also produce extremely energyefficient buildings, as this individual family home in
Cologne proves. Here, high-quality system technology
from Schüco was integrated into a design concept which
allows individual functional units to confidently protrude
from the mass of the cuboid and emphasises them using
colour.
At first glance, you might say that the sculptural residential
property on the outskirts of Cologne looks as if its individual
cubic units have been pulled out of a three-dimensional puzzle
cube. The contrasting colours of the individual units in black
and white clearly emphasise this effect once more. The
architects Hans-Peter Höhn and Carolin Riedel explain their
design methods by alluding to the principle of “addition and
subtraction, the interpretation of mass, space and interstice”.
Something plastic, sculptural ...
The clients, a young family with two children, had initially
approached the architects with an abstract desire to develop a
modern, plastic, sculptural architectural language for the
residence. They were convinced by the unusual idea of having
individual sections protrude from a basic cuboid measuring 12.5
x 13.5 x 6.5 m and emphasising their plasticity using contrasting
colours. Here, the protruding sections were not decided
arbitrarily by any means. Each unit also defines a separate
functional area on the total of three levels.
Inside, two airy spaces - one in the living area, one above the
entrance area - create a relationship with the vertical and allow
Further information about publication:
Schüco International KG
Ulrike Krüger
Karolinenstr. 1–15
33609 Bielefeld, Germany
Tel.: +49 (0)521 783-803
Fax: +49 (0)521 783-950803
E-mail: PR@schueco.com
www.schueco.de/presse
www.schueco.de/press
various views of the interior and to the outside. On the ground
floor, a cloakroom, the guest WC and a study can be found off
the hallway. The open kitchen, which can be accessed directly
from the hallway, is connected to the open dining area, which
descends via two steps into a living area. Generous glazing
looking out at the terrace creates a visually flowing transition
between the interior and garden area.
The first floor features a clear separation of parental and
children’s areas and integrates a spacious bathing and sauna
area as well as separate sleeping and sanitary facilities for the
children. A studio in the connecting stepped storey above offers
a further retreat and, thanks to a surrounding roof terrace,
provides a place from which to enjoy the sun and views at any
time of day. Building services and a utility room are housed in
the cellar, which additionally offers a large games room as well
as a guest room with an en-suite bathroom.
Transparency breaks through massiveness
Admittedly, the matt black and white cubic units of the building
envelope, which has been designed as a solid construction,
characterise the design, but the horizontal incisions in the form
of ribbon windows provide clear visual relief. All the more, as
the windows have very different sizes, which are tailored to the
respective installation position and orientation of the façade as
well as the need for discretion in more private usage zones.
The unifying element for all of the glazing is the slimline
horizontal structure provided by the aluminium system profiles
as well as the colour scheme in the grey tone RAL 7016.
The high level of energy efficiency striven for in the building as
well as the modern style characteristics of the design led the
architects to plan for highly-insulating system units in aluminium
with triple insulation glazing. In the course of a comprehensive
technical consultation with Schüco field sales and in agreement
with the clients, they opted for the Schüco AWS 70.HI system
family, which enabled all of the planned construction solutions
in a highly thermally insulating design with a universal
installation depth of only 70 mm. The demanding requirements
in terms of thermal insulation and watertightness became
important for the large-scale lift-and-slide door system between
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the living room and the terrace on the ground floor in particular.
Here, in the face of large unit areas of up to 2.65 x 2.65 m as
well as the requirement for an easy-access transition, the
Schüco ASS 70.HI system was able to demonstrate its
aesthetic and technical benefits in full.
Throughout the house, the clients preferred conventional
mechanical fittings technology, but had the entrance door from
the Schüco ADS 70.HI system range fitted with the Schüco
Fingerprint biometric access system.
Schüco – System solutions for windows, doors and façades
Together with its worldwide network of partners, architects, specifiers and
investors, Schüco creates sustainable building envelopes that focus on people
and their needs in harmony with nature and technology. Window, door and
façade solutions from Schüco meet the highest requirements in terms of
design, comfort and security. At the same time, CO2 emissions are reduced
through energy efficiency, thereby conserving natural resources. The
company and its Metal and PVC-U divisions deliver tailored products for
newbuilds and renovations, designed to meet individual user needs in all
climate zones. Everyone involved is supported with a comprehensive range of
services at every stage of the construction process. With 4800 employees and
12,000 partner companies, Schüco is active in more than 80 countries and
achieved a turnover of 1.425 billion euros in 2014. For more information, visit
www.schueco.de
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Project details
Project title: Private home in Cologne
Architect: archicraft - Dipl.-Ing. M.Sc. Hans-Peter Höhn,
Dipl.-Ing. M.Sc. Carolin Riedel, Cologne
Metal fabrication work: Fensterbau Bracht, Brüggen
Living space: 380 m²
Site area : 730 m²
Heating technology: Brine heat pump combined with a gas
condensing boiler
Completion: 2014
Schüco products
Schüco AWS 70.HI windows
Schüco ADS 70.HI doors
Schüco ASS 70.HI sliding door system
Special features
Profiles from the Schüco AWS 70.HI window units and Schüco
ADS 70.HI door units in RAL 7016 grey
Entrance door with Schüco Fingerprint biometric access control
Triple insulation glazing throughout
Window units with security glazing from resistance class WK 2
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Picture credits: Schüco International KG
Private home on the outskirts of Cologne: Sculptural
architecture, whereby individual spatial units project from a
basic cuboid.
Garden façade: Sliding doors, fixed glazing and ribbon windows
form horizontal incisions in the black and white spatial volumes.
(Systems: Schüco ASS 70.HI, Schüco AWS 70.HI).
The severity of the cubic form elements is dissolved by the
three-dimensional interlacing of the “puzzle elements”.
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Ground-level access to the terrace and garden from the living
area is provided by the Schüco ASS 70.HI sliding door system.
Airy spaces channel daylight from the first floor to the ground
floor.
The selection of materials for the interior design is
characterised by simplicity and purism: natural stone, porcelain
stoneware tiles, white oiled oak country cottage flooring and
technical surfaces blend in with the appearance of the glass
and aluminium windows.
The window sizes vary, ranging from storey-height to narrow,
landscape formats depending on the functional area and the
desire for privacy (Schüco AWS 70.HI).
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A wellness area adjoins the sleeping area on the first floor.
Here, the façade is intentionally not transparent.
Picture credits: archicraft.de
Ground floor plan
First floor plan
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Vertical section
Site plan
High-resolution pictures are available to download in the
Schüco Newsroom at www.schueco.de/press
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