Schwab House

The house, built in a town in south Bavaria, is located in a north-south oriented narrow inclined property, surrounded by old trees, in-between two listed villas from the beginning of the 20^th century.

For better integration of the new building, plaster facing, prominent in both adjacent listing buildings, was used on the entire façade, using a custom-made mixture that was approved by the preservation authorities, and applied by hand by a local church plasterer, using a trowel.

The hexagonal layout resulted from the side distances prescribed by the building regulations. To stage the faraway view to the Andechs monastery, over the Ammersee lake, the building volume is raised in a tower, over the trees. To increase the lofty feeling, the living room was designed on the top floor, with an oversize opening. The kitchen, being the center of everyday family life, is connected to the garden on the ground level.

Great attention was given to large surfaces with untreated materials. Following the idea of a simple, sustainable construction, this is a brick building, without additional insulation. The selected energy profile is kfW 55, without artificial ventilation. Shading is achieved with deep openings, without any other solar protection.

The design was a collaboration between the owner, Andreas Schwab, who holds a degree in architecture while being employed as a product designer, and Huber architectural office.

Architekturbüro Huber