Hanuda is far more than an ordinary single-family house – it is an architectural response to the weary uniformity of our time, a breath of fresh air against mere functionality, banality, and lack of style. In an age dominated by standardized forms, this building poses a subtle question: it is an oasis of difference, where modernist logic and rural poetry engage in a promising dialogue.
Located on a sun-drenched slope of a small town in southern Germany, Haus Hanuda nestles into the countryside and offers a panorama stretching from the Austrian Dachstein to the pre-Alps of Munich. Built on what was once an agricultural plot, the single-story bungalow gently integrates into the hilly terrain. Its position on the entrance road of a mid-sized town – renowned for its warm waters, elderly spa guests, and golf courses that attract German legends – challenged FACE to counter pervasive noise without sacrificing the unadulterated view of the wonderful surrounding landscape. The architectural goal was clear: to create spaces that promote well-being, embedded in a landscape yet retaining a modern identity.
The concept, where the tradition of living meets the ideal of modernity, is realized in a radically new, horizontal interpretation of the classic single-family house format. It is a deliberate staging of the topography, transparency, and retreat, with generous window fronts framing the natural panorama to the southeast and massive walls acting as sound barriers to the west. Instead of rigid room definitions, fluid spaces open up a dynamic dialogue between interior and exterior – an architectural play reminiscent of the quirky contradictions of modern life. Here, the “Quadra” – the “sweet square waffle” – serves as the overarching guiding motif of the layout: every line and surface is a finely detailed statement that simultaneously directs the gaze towards natural depths and invites inner critical reflection. The waffle symbolizes the balance between a massive ground slab, a green-roofed BS wooden ceiling, and the light, glorious, circulating interior spaces with 3.10-meter-high, light-flooded rooms.
The dual challenge of preserving both the breathtaking view and the gentle framework of hills – reminiscent of a painting by Rottal artist Josef Karl Nerud – with wide green fields and distant villages, while banishing intrusive noise, was elegantly met by the deliberate placement of large windows and a central courtyard, preserving the expressionistic character and expressive naturalness. This courtyard functions as a haven of calm, providing not only natural lighting but also outdoor retreat options.
The challenging geological ground conditions – a sandy, water-permeated foundation stemming from an ancient marine dump glacier landscape – demanded a specific technical approach. A foundation using a cement-impermeabilization process and the deliberate omission of conventional basements led to the choice of a massive ground slab as the load-bearing structure. This solution underscores the architectural ethos: a reduction to the essentials, almost a negation of traditional materiality, to make space for radical, new concepts.
Special attention also goes to the roof design. Deeply overhanging eaves support the PV system and offer protection from sun and rain. A corrugated metal parapet and the integration of an extensive green roof – functioning as an ecological retention area for rainwater while contributing to thermal insulation – align with the current sustainability strategy. Yet the gently curved roof form, with its partially rounded corners, breaks the strict grid of the square floor plan – a subtle play, a bite that repeatedly alienates and fascinates the viewer. It is, however, just a playful detail on the roof that prevents the open fire pit on the terrace from being ignited.
The design is inspired by a journey to the icons of modernity – influenced by case-study houses, Singapore’s Black and Whites, and Australian beach shacks. A certain esotericism permeates the work, with a subtle nod to Le Corbusier and the anecdotal zodiac oracles of Orion imprinted in the concrete. This blend of sober functionality and sensual “Arts and Craft” aesthetics unites the spirit of modernity with the artisanal, almost mystical character of building.
Contrasts are celebrated as a design principle: raw exposed concrete meets warm wood, while high-tech elements – from Loxone to PV heat pump systems – serve as modern symbols of a sustainable greener lifestyle. The honesty of the construction, featuring double purlins, steel supports, and exposed cross-laminated timber, is impressively showcased. The dialogue between industrial, cold precision and artisanal, sensual warmth continuously challenges the viewer’s gaze while conveying an unexpected coziness in the atmosphere of Panzeri lighting.
The collaboration with the clients – a young couple with clear ideas and experimental ambitions – was anything but conventional. A dialogical process, surpassing traditional client-architect dynamics, shaped the project's development. Black purlin beams and a reduced color palette in black and white with corrugated metal lend the building a timeless industrial elegance, while expansive glazing, fluid room structures, and natural materials like exposed concrete, wood, and cast floors create an authentic interior atmosphere. The targeted lighting fixtures adds striking accents.
Every detail – from the integration of an ice-pool, open fire pit on the terrace, reminiscent of a passionate cook’s BBQ, to a Swedish stove in the living room inspired by Sempers’ idea of the primitive hut – became an act of joint meaning-making, where technical planning and philosophical considerations are inextricably intertwined. A subtle hint at a pragmatic yet almost poetic approach to living is reflected in every detail. Pocket sliding doors with Hamburger Beschläge, mosquito net windows, and walk-in wall closets testify to a high degree of detailing. Even a gentle recess in curved walls creates subtle asymmetry that softens the strict grid, while a plunge pool next to the terrace provides refreshing relief on Hundstage in July.
Yet, it is a naked house. The façade, originally conceived as a suspended micro-concrete cladding, was ultimately realized as a simple, white-plastered surface – a conscious decision by the clients to resist the avant-garde, which did not fully capture the taste for the “sweet waffle.”
Ultimately, Haus Hanuda stands as an architectural statement for the fusion of history and modernity, for the contradiction between external strictness and internal softness. It is a building that not only provides living space but also actively participates in the discourse on the future of living – provocative, mischievous, and presented with a wink as a reinventor of the definition of “home.” Hanuda challenges the viewer to look beyond the confines of conventional architecture and embark on a sensory journey that appeals to both the mind and the senses.
In this synthesis of bold planning, innovative material aesthetics, and a balanced blend of functionality and poetry, it becomes clear: Haus Hanuda is not just a building, but a process of thought. A process that dares to break the boundaries of the familiar and foregrounds the essence of contemporary architecture – marked by a me-centric culture, freedom, and unabashed irony. With Hanuda, FACE writes a story of intense reflection, carrying the promise to redefine living and transform the cultural discourse about home in a provocatively fresh manner.
