Maison du Béton / Atelier st

Architects: Atelier st
Location: Zwickau, Cainsdorf, Germany
Directors in Charge: Silvia Schellenberg- Thaut & Sebastian Thaut
Client: Gerd Pönisch and Heike Hochmuth
Landscape: Rehwald landscape architects, Dresden
Structural Engineer: Mittenzwei GmbH, Werdau
Project Area: 232 sqm
Project Year: 2006-2007
Construction Year: 2009
Photographs: Bertram Bölkow

Generally

High over a river meadow a sharp edged dwelling house rises on the gentle ridge of the Cainsdorfer local situation.

It uses the available hillside situation of a generous property, contrasts by his clear geometry, nevertheless, consciously and strikingly with the grown landscape.

The polygonal volume adapts itself in his relative cubic capacity of course in the context of a heterogeneous structured outskirts situation. The granulation and the scale of the mostly empty single constructions of the surroundings will transfer into the solitaire construction.

Nevertheless, by the clarity and precision of the form, the big single openings and not least by the material of the extremely smooth view concrete facade, the house changes the usual picture of the surroundings.

site plan

Construction

The building was completely established as a monolithic, ferro-concrete construction with nuclear insulation. Topmost demands were made to the external highly demanding view concrete intention bowl of the bivalve outer wall concerning the quality of the concrete.

By means of a two-ply, constructive armouring an extremely slender external wall strength was achieved in a dimension of only 15 cm.

The smooth surface of the concrete is improved, in addition, with a fine colour glaze optically and is protected by a clear hydrophobizing prolonged before decomposition.

The disguising of the building incisions in the facade was realised as a curtain wall facade with anodized aluminium boards.

Interior

The internal complexity and the different space heights are not discernible from Outside and are experienceable only with entrance of the building for the visitor.

Also it behaves with the creation of the interiors. Of the hardness of the concrete above all natural materials step here, like dark wood, bright natural stone, cream-coloured materials and against colours which emit a big warmth and security in the combination.

Thanks to the special construction of the house all pieces of furniture and necessary cuddies could be integrated as a unit furniture unobtrusively and in order to save space. The kitchen, as well as the large-size and surface-terse doors were sketched as individually by the architects and were integrated into the total concept.