In Berlin’s city guides, the Eichkamp settlement is described as a “village of celebrities behind the Avus.” Eyewitnesses and residents recall it as a bright, almost fairy-tale-like idyll – a gem of bourgeois living, designed in the 1920s by brothers Max and Bruno Taut.

Here, in the west of Berlin, Atelier ST has realized a new home for a family of six – embedded in its historic setting, yet independent and contemporary.
Set on a mature, slightly elevated plot, the building disappears among the crowns of old oaks and black pines. A deep front garden zone creates intimacy, while the dark green mineral plaster façade allows the house to merge almost invisibly with its surroundings. Only on closer inspection does it reveal itself: a two-storey, nearly square volume with a pitched tent roof, referencing familiar proportions while asserting its presence as a freestanding solitaire.

Characteristic round windows and doors echo design elements of the historic settlement. Subtle projections of the upper floors enhance the sculptural quality of the architecture.
Behind this “green camouflage,” however, lies an unexpected interior – a wooden shrine. Except for the concrete slab foundation and a partial basement, the building is constructed entirely from timber: walls, ceilings, and roof, along with wall claddings and custom-designed built-in furniture.

In contrast, a matte black asphalt floor ties all levels together. The spatial layout is open, filled with light, and at the same time clearly structured through changes in level, sightlines, and carefully planned retreats. The foyer greets visitors with a semicircular double door, articulated with diamond-shaped glazing bars – a homage to Art Deco, which continues in the floor-to-ceiling sliding doors.
From here, the path leads into the nearly 3.5-meter-high kitchen and dining area. A dark green kitchen unit – designed by Atelier ST – translates the exterior color palette into the interior. Large arched windows extend the motif while opening the space onto the garden, while a slightly elevated living room connects as a “salle séparée.” At its heart stands a water-bearing wood-burning stove, which powers the underfloor heating while its green tadelakt-clad seating elements provide a unique sense of comfort.

The first floor belongs to the children, while the parents reside beneath the tented roof. Generous windows and dormers offer views of the garden and surrounding treetops. Galleries and double-height spaces create a surprising spatial richness, while arched interior doors in black-stained oak continue the theme of rounded forms into the interior.

Technically, the house is as precise as it is poetic: the solid timber structure ensures high thermal storage capacity and a pleasant indoor climate. In combination with the stove as the sole heating source, the building even holds the potential for energy self-sufficiency.
 

A familiar newcomer to the Eichkamp settlement – a house that harmoniously integrates into nature and neighbourhood while providing a contemporary response to its historic context.