residence Denzer
Basic information
Project Title
Full project title
Category
Project Description
“Residence Denzer” falls back to a historical method of building in Marmagen, a village in the northern area of the Eifel, focussing on its main characteristics to a modern architecture: Orientated towards the village center; use of local materials like wood and quarry stone; establishing the courtyard as a traditional element. Embedded contemporary elements enter into dialogue about past and present without historizing a formal ingratiation.
Project Region
EU Programme or fund
Description of the project
Summary
The project “Residence Denzer” falls back to a historical method of building in Marmagen, a little village
in the northern area of the Eifel. It accomplishes to transfer its main characteristics to a modern
architecture: Orientated towards the village center; use of local materials like wood and quarry stone;
establishing the courtyard as a traditional element.
The objective of the study was to design a house which is not for randomly variable purposes but a portrayal of individual living on a set place, integrated to its rural area. Regarding this residence from
today’s perspective, we have managed to continue a traditional architecture. In addition to that the
emphasis was on the proportioned structures which guide to the inside of the building, on the classified
rooms with their belonging functions and on the importance of light. Due to historical references and
embedded contemporary elements, the architecture enters into dialogue about past and the present
day without historizing a formal ingratiation.
At a second glance you are recognizing the total in detail and even more the details as a total work. The
jury of the German “Holzbaupreis 2007” has honored “Residence Denzer” as follows: “The motto of the
recovery of the place is actually decisive for the project: the typical materials of the Eifel as well as the
traditional yard typology are taken up, the building is aligned to the historic center. Finally, the flat roof
is a clear sign of the implementation into present which makes the property a notable contribution to
regional building.”
Key objectives for sustainability
One of the main aspects was to come up with the rethinking of an independent and modern planning.
The past and present should work in close cooperation, creating a significant image. Using trendsetting
solutions, the residence benefits from sealed surfaces, additional insulation, water retention, reduction
of CO2, sun and wind protection and especially from biodiversity. From this point of view the roofs of
the house, the garage and the shed were formed as green roofs. On the one hand, arising water is
collected in a cistern, integrated as an overgrown basin to the courtyard. On the other hand, it is stored
in outdoor tanks for watering the garden and returning to the housekeeping. This attitude is particularly
useful facing the downpour which has recently normalize beginning in autumn. During summer, natural
sun protection in form of Wisteria facing South works like cooling system. Record-breaking
temperatures of last summer season had been successfully compensated to a difference of
approximately 8-10 degrees. This is also an evidence that the targeted use of greenery could help to
reduce or even replace technical tools. Awaiting autumn, the fallen leaves make it possible for the winter
sun to ensure a pleasant warmth to the living space.
The extended outer space as an inner courtyard is another architectural element which contains the
water basin. The image of nature as safe haven is supported by the walls covered with greenery and the
Wisteria ceiling. This special “room” offers the opportunity to find peace and to socialize simultaneously
with family and friends. The Interplays of light and shadow, architecture and nature create a great
atmosphere and temperature equalizing. The straight connection to a “farmer’s garden” completes our
concept of transformation. Self-sufficiency, greenery added to proportional, geometric forms create a
balance between built architecture, inside and outside, as well as between the past and possible
requirements of the future.
Key objectives for aesthetics and quality
By including local materials, wood and quarry stone for the façade, the project is closely aligned with
the former "plinth construction" of the traditional angular and triangular courtyards of the Eifel.
Inside the house, the demand on adaptability continues with a spacious kitchen-cum-living room. The
classical understanding of a living room is replaced by simple furniture, a small fireplace with a reading
area which is directly connected to the “socializing space” from kitchen to dining area. Separated from
this place, there are two further bedrooms with a dressing corridor and a bathroom.
The surfaces of the walls are deliberately kept in white, so that the spruce wood floor takes over the
impression of “warm material”. The proportions of the windows and French doors on the ground floor
are both arranged to include the protected courtyard and the little “farmer’s garden” as an extension
of the interior living space. The jury of the Exemplary Construction Award 2005 in North Rhine-
Westphalia assessed our attitude as follows: “The particular value of this inexpensive building
appropriately justifies modern architectural language to be developed in a rural area by using traditional
materials and living principles.”
This project, designed with its two residential units and home office, was initially used by us as residents.
Moving our office to the Eifel, the project is now used as an office - with a residence. The ground floor
extends over approximately 70 m² with an exit to the outside courtyard and gardens.
On the first floor there are 90 m² for living, combined with a terrace which is aligned with the villages’
church. Even after almost twenty years, the building still shows up with a modern design. The aesthetics
and functionality do not seem to be opponents; on the contrary, they are still unchanged and get a very
special expression of sustainability due to their increasing aging of greenery and materials.
Key objectives for inclusion
Right from the start, one unit was designed spaciously and suitable for the disabled, concerning the
structural scales. Additionally, the outside gardens can be reached on ground level. The intention was
to offer a total flexibility in different living models such as generational living, living with disabilities, but
also living for older people. The outdoor spaces are protected and private but also conceivable as a
communication area. The current use of living with an office is another option which was not planned
originally, but it illustrates the adaptability of Denzer’s Residence.
Results in relation to category
Our project is an example of how architecture can be implemented and designed, taking cultural and
social needs into account. Means, first we have set a goal to pursue. The building should include local
peculiarities as well as conceptualize these values into a “modern architecture”. Therefore, analyzing
should be considered an indispensable step. Our concept of portraying nature as part of architecture
became apparent over the years: walls have been overgrown; the outside basin floated with water lilies;
the green roofs just as the extensively planted gardens.
Thus, the orientation towards the future with the integration of buildings and landscape including
biological diversity is clearly recognizable. The seasonal blooming shows the merging of architecture
and nature. The is no conflict between space and geometry, water and soil protection, inside and
outside, architecture and nature; they rather show possibilities for building structures with a high
amount or flexibility and diversity. Our example “Residence Denzer” shows that everyone should or
must be involved in the European Bauhaus project, reaching from single-family homes to high-rise
buildings. The city as well as the rural area must be a serious participant in those awards.
How Citizens benefit
The added value of our project is noticeable in many ways. The residence has been published and
presented in specialist magazines and TV documentaries several times. The significant attitude and the
orientation or the implementation were always pointed out. We have not only felt a huge impact on
our own work, but also on all companies involved in the construction which even identifies with their
own values. The number of visitors, for example on Architecture Day, or seminars at the Universities of
Aachen, Mainz, Cologne, Bochum and Dortmund also show a clear evidence and success. Furthermore,
we have aroused touristic curiosity about the Eifel residence. What was initially felt to be a stranger in
place is now considered an exemplary architecture and regular creature.
Innovative character
Seizing on the local circumstances and historical background, “Residence Denzer” now represents the
transformation to a future understanding. The jury of the Exemplary Construction Award in North RhineWestphalia
mentioned our project as follows: “The particular value of this inexpensive building
appropriately justifies modern architectural language to be developed in a rural area by using traditional
materials and living principles.”
Likewise, the jury of the German “Holzbaupreis” highlighted: “The motto of the recovery of the place is
decisive for the project: the typical materials of the Eifel as well as the traditional yard typology are
taken up, the building is aligned to the historic center. Finally, the flat roof is a clear sign of the
implementation into present which makes the property a notable contribution to regional building.”
Importantly for the urban planning concept, we also tried to implement a clear leading inside the house,
typologies of the historical buildings. Frank Lorenz, editor of “Welt am Sonntag” put an emphasis in a
special form on the project: "If you walk into the house, you will notice a hand full of different scaled
windows on the ground floor, the white walls and the white, reduced furniture. Somehow, the
apartment is flooded with light, so that the visitor gets the impression light itself becomes the actual
piece of furniture."
