ko/ok architektur and studio beradi adds contemporary restaurant to historical german inn

ko/ok architektur and studio beradi added a new building to the medieval old town of kirchheim near stuttgart, germany. in the village, characterized by small-scale houses, was the ‘gasthof waldorn’, a run-down ancient inn. the antique hotel was demolished and a contemporary new building, hosting the waldhorn restaurant and hotel extension was to take its place.

photos by sebastain schels

ko/ok architectur and studio beradi took from the old gasthof waldorn’s timber framing aesthetic and the town’s small-scale urban fabric to create the new inn. from the outside, the silhouette and the materiality of the new building appear similar to those of its predecessor. it features a dark tiled roof, walls finished with pale plaster and the visible, wooden structure of the upward-stepping gable of the market-facing facade.

contrasting the historical neighbor buildings, the inn’s surface is more homogenous. it boasts a carefully manufactured timber structure made form brushed douglas fir, which shines through with varying intensity, according to incidence of light and the weather. both the appearance and the impression of the building change constantly and naturally.

the new gasthof waldhorn inn is accessed via the facade from the market. at the ground floor, the rooms are connected to the adjoining hotel through a contiguous dining area, kitchen and bar. the attic of the two-storey building contains the function hall, designed as an open-plan room. the interior of the building is dominated by its architecture and simple materiality and sits on a massive foundation. the basement is made up of several secondary rooms and the wine cellar.

the visible, wooden beam ceiling with its heavy, massive structure transitions to intricate woodwork. in the attic, the elements of the wooden roof truss highlight the complexity of the crooked roof that mimics the former building. the function hall in the attic opens up to the entrance with five expansive windows on its facade, offering views on the bustling kirchheim market.

the building’s interior is further characterized by its lasting, natural materials. among these are the large oakwood floorboards in the dining rooms, stone floors downstairs, the plastered wall surfaces, the wooden windows and the visible timber structure. even the interior fittings follow this specific material palette, with old and new solid wood furniture completing the spaces.

the construction took only one year and involved a planning process with the constructor, the architects and the city council with its architectural advisory board. together they created a new urban style that adds a contemporary layer to kirchheim’s historical ensemble.

project info:

project name: das waldhorn

architects: ko/ok architektur and studio beradi