pressed straw bales and wooden slabs make up haus hoinka in germany

Haus Hoinka by Atelier Kaiser Shen resides in a german village

Atelier Kaiser Shen designs Haus Hoinka in Pfaffenhofen, Germany, revising the plan of residential construction in rural areas. The home is located in a small village characterized by half-timbered 16th and 17th-century houses, a rustic church setting, and vineyards rising in the background. As the village center is being re-densified with residential buildings following a cubature typical for the region, the program attends to sustainable building construction using simple materials that can be separately recycled.

The project aims for a development that applies natural and renewable raw materials which can be re-introduced into the natural cycle. Bales of straw put up the main framework while their mixture with clay plaster serves as a thermal envelope for the floors, ceiling, roof, and walls.

The late 19th-century construction practice utilizes straw, a renewable and recyclable material that is consequently more convenient on both resources and has a lower climate impact than conventional insulating materials. The low-tech element is sourced locally, and its handling is simple. The bales of straw are pressed into a wooden framework to a thickness of 36.5 cm with any excess being trimmed off using hedge cutters.

all images by Brigida González

elevated wooden monolith rests on a concrete cross

The design team aims for the application of the straw bale construction method throughout the entire framework, all six facades, the roof, and the floor slab. The house is raised by an entire floor to dispense with elaborate sealing while at the same time still permanently protecting the straw bales in the floor slab from water. The compact structure rests on a concrete cross and four supports. When the wooden shutters are closed, the volume forms the impression of an elevated wooden monolith which generates a stark contrast to the open garden level.

Haus Hoinka subtly adopts both the grain and roof shape of its setting, and with its staggered structure comprising a stone base and cantilevered wooden building engages in a direct dialogue with the half-timbered houses in the center of the village. The building layout offers a flexible floor plan suitable for various living constellations, as well as the possibility of future changes if needed. The proposal demonstrates an alternative residential construction in rural areas.

the solar modules of the PV roof form the smallest unit and correspond with the grid of the skylights

on the east elevation, the cantilever structure exposes its wooden form and PV roof coating

the compact structure rests on a concrete cross and four supports

the house is elevated to protect the straw bales of the ‘base plate’ from water

the enfilade is rotated 90° on the second floor and arranged across the house

project info:

name: Straw Bale House: Haus Hoinka
designer: Atelier Kaiser Shen

location: Pfaffenhofen, Germany

photography: Brigida González