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ARCHIVE 2017
The client
The client of the „off-the-grid house“ in the central highlands of Germany, called Sauerland, has an agricultural background. However, he is more than a typical farmer. Together with his father, he is a pioneer of the biogas-technology in Germany.
Off-the-grid
Energy-efficiency and protection of the environment are the main elements of the design. The supply and disposal of the building is due to the biogas system self-sufficiently - therefore „off-the-grid“. Meanwhile, through the exemplary ecological nature of this building, the whole village decided to connect to the local-heating-grid of the farm.
The vision
One day, the client walked into our office and said, „I would like to have a round house“. Well, a round house is rather unusual, but that was the exact reason to take on this challenge. The main reason for him was that, from an energy efficient point of view, the surface/volume proportion should be ideal. However, since it’s rather hard to live in a sphere, the client went for a cylindrical shape.
Composition and façade
The building has two floors. On the first floor are bedrooms. In the loft-like second floor are living rooms and a whirlpool with a view to the landscape. The farmer’s close relation to nature is also shown by the self-designing of the façade with stones from a near by creek which leads to a constant development of the building.
Status: Built
Year: 2013 - 2016
Architect: Christoph Hesse Architects, Korbach, Germany
Client: Joel Frese, Medebach, Germany
Location: Medebach, Germany
Photos: Christoph Hesse
