The philanthropic attitude of the clients significantly shaped the planning of these two multi-family houses. In close collaboration with the clients, the choice of natural building materials led to a sustainable realization without synthetic or composite materials. Carefully integrated into the neighborhood context, the two replacement buildings are constructed in timber and clay.

Designed as a cuboid with a pitched roof, the “Holz” building is oriented perpendicular to the residential street. Apart from the staircase core, prefabricated timber elements define its appearance. The façade is divided into three parts: facing the street, the timber façade—with horizontal cladding, cornices, friezes, and wooden shutters—draws on the local historic architectural language. The north façade, with vertical cladding and sliding wooden shutters, represents a contemporary reinterpretation of the street-facing side. The central building volume, clad in metal, houses the staircase, loggias, and shared balconies, and progressively penetrates both timber façades.

The “Lehm” building comprises three storeys and an attic level. The staircase core and floor slabs are constructed from recycled concrete. Externally, the building presents an archaic elegance with its prefabricated rammed earth façade. The clay elements are attached to spatial grid structures using timber profiles, forming the secondary structure and thermal envelope. Oak windows with bronze metal frames articulate the punctured façade. The horizontal structuring of the building envelope using brick string courses once again references the regional architectural language.