'a sculpture of wooden cubes' by appels architekten unfolds in southeast germany

appels architekten completes a wooden house by the lake 

Nestled in the green backdrop of Bavaria in Germany, this wooden family house by the lake expresses itself through a simple architectural figure devised by Appels Architekten. ‘Conceptionally, it distinguishes between private rooms and a generous open space for daily family life,’ explains the practice. All private rooms are artistically composed as a sculpture of wooden cubes in between which the open space unfolds horizontally and vertically, bringing in daylight deep into the house – even in winter – as well as drawing views into the garden, the treetops, and across the lake from any vantage point. Furthermore, the shape of the fanning roof counteracts the sloping terrain and gives the interior variety. 

hidden on a plateau above the lake, nestled in-between old trees | all images © Florian Holzherr

Such a simple yet eye-catching configuration and open zoning of the wooden residence by Appels Architekten facilitates the coexistence between retreat and community, encouraging its residents to either withdraw or participate in communal living at any time. ‘The setting in its natural environment, the generous ceiling height, the amount of daylight, and the honest materialization create a pleasant atmosphere and a pleasant indoor climate,’ notes the team. 

configuration of private rooms in boxes with a family space in between

Lastly, using wood as a renewable resource makes it possible to reduce both non-renewable primary energy and CO2 emissions during construction. In addition, the wooden construction method allows a high degree of prefabrication off-site compared to conventional solid construction, thus shorter assembly times and fewer site trips for the team. Another important aspect is the fossil-free energy concept with air-source heat pumps and storage tanks.

the kitchen opens entirely to the outside with sliding doors disappearing inside the walls

the covered entry outside and inside the entrance space with a rock embedded in the floor

an intimate garden borders the back of the house

view through the open living area unfolding horizontally and vertically between the private rooms

view through the open living area showing the central kitchen

private rooms are hidden behind translucent shades that can frame panoramic views

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section

upper floor

ground floor

project info:

name: Wooden house by the lake

location: Bavaria, Germany 
architecture: Appels Architekten | @appels_architekten 

site management: Händel Junghans Architekten | @hja_architekten

structural engineering: merz kley partner | @merz_kley_partner 

photography: Florian Holzherr | @florian_holzherr

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lea zeitoun | designboom