new_spaces_07_GB

18 Best Practice
Hidden away like a precious jewel, the two-story bungalow
is perched on a hilltop in a rural region between the city
of Karlsruhe and the northern Black Forest. There it stands,
gleaming in the luminous spring sunshine, its structure so
light and transparent that one could gaze right into its very heart.
Not that this should worry the owners. After all, no one strays
into this rural hideaway, tucked away at the end of a cul-de-sac
on the very edge of the forest. It was here that the owners, who
work in Karlsruhe, located this secluded 1,200 square metre
site to build their new house. In the end, the project consisted of
“one year’s planning, one year’s building, and one year’s negotiating
with the planning authorities”, as the lady of the house
explains with discretion and the native charm of the people from
around these parts. Among the manifold problems encountered
by people building a new house, this was one of the most
diffi cult they had to face. It was a clash between reason and
regulation. To avoid undercutting the prescribed distance to the
edge of the woods (30 metres), the façade has been designed
so that it mirrors the contour of the tree line. This now gives the
house extra charm: The shortage of right angles on one side
seems to set the already diaphanous structure in motion, while
lending an organic feeling to the space within.
Surrounded by young hedges of photinia and rosemary
willow, the house and garden already offer an intimation of
how well they will blend into the surrounding countryside. It was
the prime wish of the owners, who felt magically attracted here
from the city, to forge a bond between the house and nature.
The outside walls on the ground fl oor therefore consist in part of
large sliding windows, with the result that the boundary between
inside and outside seems suspended, especially in summer.
“With a guard dog like ours, we can leave the windows open at
night and let the wind blow right through the house,” they say.
Grace, the hound in question, turns out to be a very genial and
not particularly terrifying golden retriever.
It was only during the planning phase that the owners realised
just how many decisions are involved in a project of this kind.
These ranged from the colour of the slate for the fl oor to the
position of the laundry chute, from the hue of the oak used
throughout the house to the position of the bathtub and the
decision ultimately to sacrifi ce it in favour of a small sauna next
to the bathroom. “We were never off the phone to the architect,”
they explain. “But amazingly, we’re still good friends with him.
It doesn’t work out that way for a lot of clients!”
One of the major areas of discussion was the design
of the kitchen area, which covers around 140 square metres
on the ground fl oor, most of it in one single room. In the end,
they let themselves be guided by what they like doing most:
entertaining friends, preparing meals together and sitting
around the large Le Corbusier dining table. One result is that
visitors pass almost imperceptibly from the entrance area into
the kitchen. Likewise, the decision in favour of a kitchen island,
along with the combination of glossy white surfaces and partially
concealed appliances, creates more of a living-room than a
kitchen atmosphere. The ambience is that of a Mediterranean
kitchen in summer, with lots of room and direct contact to the
outdoors — in this case, the terrace.
What the couple — both enthusiastic cooks — couldn’t know
in advance was how quickly they would be integrated into the
neighbourhood, which is made up of newcomers like them. The
community they found here was quite unlike the classic urban
picture of village life. “We’ve made more friends here than we did
during all our time living in the city,” they say. This is a view that’s
heard more and more often from people who have escaped to the
country. Rural living has long since ceased to be provincial. Thanks
to the Internet and the iPhone, it’s possible to be in touch “virtually”
around the clock. And for people who like to cook, the range of
produce on offer in the neighbourhood is by no means basic. In
fact, the couple rave about the organic bread and organic vegetables
that are locally available. Their culinary accomplishments range
from the regional speciality tarte fl ambée — done to a turn on their
Gaggenau baking stone — to homemade sushi, homemade spätzle
noodles and Thai curry. In fact, there’s only one no-no: cooking
strictly according to the recipe. “I always play around with the ingredients,”
says our hostess. “That’s what gives cooking an extra kick.”
Be it delicately seasoned vegetables cooked in the Gaggenau
Combi-steam oven, savoury potato dishes or salmon served with an
exotic sauce — most dishes are prepared from ingredients chosen
on the spur of the moment. In charge of the wine is the man of the
house, who has a collection of fi ne vintages from the nearby Pfalz
region safely stored away in the cellar.
For these homeowners, what counts more than anything
else is being able to carve out islands of enjoyment in the midst of
a heavy work schedule. That includes having a home that has
been designed to completely meet their individual needs and to
provide the perfect escape from the demands of work. “But the
funny thing is that now that everything is fi nished, the creative urge
is still there, just as though we were building another new house!”
says the owner with a laugh. Fortunately, there are still a number of
future plans to work on, including the installation of a small pool in
the garden behind the house.