House Falkensee II
In the Havelland region in Falkensee, a single-family house was realized on a plot of approximately 1,600 m². The design is composed of five volumes of varying dimensions, arranged in a staggered configuration. This composition generates a sequence of narrow passages and courtyard-like intermediate spaces along the eastern and western sides of the building. These transitional spaces are an integral part of the spatial concept: they mediate between house and garden and respond to the existing trees, which remain a defining element of the site.
In the southeast, a terrace connects the two southern volumes and extends the interior living space into the landscape. Despite its additive structure, the building maintains a modest overall scale. With a length of 19.56 m, a maximum width of 8.15 m, and a height of 6.10 m, the house integrates carefully into its surroundings. The footprint measures 112 m², with a living area of approximately 98 m².
Access is located in the northern volume, conceived as a functional entry point that transitions into a more open spatial sequence. Inside, a differentiated spatial composition unfolds. Varying ceiling heights—from 2.30 m in the bathroom to 2.80 m in the fireplace room—structure the program and establish a subtle spatial hierarchy. The main communal areas, including the kitchen-living space and the fireplace room, are oriented to the south and open generously toward the garden through large glazed openings.
Sightlines extend through the offset volumes, creating continuous visual relationships between interior spaces, intermediate zones, and landscape. Light is not diffused uniformly but carefully directed; the volumetric composition acts as a spatial filter that modulates views and atmospheres throughout the house.
Structurally, the building is based on a timber frame construction with blown-in insulation. The ventilated façade is clad in untreated wood, designed to develop a natural silvery-gray patina over time, allowing the house to gradually merge with its surroundings. Custom-made timber windows emphasize craftsmanship and precision in detailing. Internally, insulated timber stud walls and timber beam ceilings with acoustic infill define the constructive logic. Wooden floorboards in the living areas and a mineral screed with tile finishes in the wet rooms articulate a clear material differentiation.
Green flat roofs unify the individual volumes into a coherent overall figure while improving the microclimate and supporting rainwater retention. Together with the highly insulated building envelope, they contribute to an energy-efficient performance strategy. A solar thermal installation provides the primary heat supply, complemented by a fireplace stove as a secondary renewable heat source. Rainwater is fully infiltrated on site.
The project follows a resource-conscious and low-carbon design approach. The use of timber as the primary structural material significantly reduces embodied carbon compared to conventional construction systems. Operational energy demand is minimized through compact volumetric planning, high insulation standards, and optimized solar orientation. The overall material strategy emphasizes durability, recyclability, and natural aging processes.
House Falkensee II is conceived not as a solitary object, but as a spatial structure in continuous dialogue with its landscape. The additive composition generates spatial differentiation without formal excess. Precision in proportion and construction meets material restraint—resulting in an architecture developed from the scale of its context and defined by the tension between volume, intermediate space, and nature.
