The relatively compact site of Villa B sits on the riverbed of the Isar in Munich with beautiful views of the river and evening sun. Situated in a row of walled plots with white stucco mansions, the owner commissioned Powerhouse Company to design a family villa and garden without a wall or fence, penetrated by the pure expression of material. Their vision for the project was a house that would be both monumental and private towards the street, yet open and informal towards the garden and views. A house made of earth-toned materials to contrast the immaterial whiteness of the 'putzwerk' of surrounding mansions. A modern version of a Munich monument, the city known for its monumental buildings with Italian and Classicist undertones and its pre-modernist architecture.
In early conversations with the client, the design team used the Hooper House II by Marcel Breuer as an inspirational foundation, because of its unusual use of dark natural stone and large abstract openings. They also decided to work with large pieces of natural stone, because of the impressive feeling of solidity that they give and how each stone displays its own character. From there, sketches were developed, displaying a vertical structure closed from the street yet horizontal and open to the garden. Influences from the early modernist architecture of Adolf Loos and Mies van der Rohe guided the design approach for the plan and facade. The combination of these two contrasting spatial logics—together with a classical idea of distribution—played a focal role in the design process.
Entering from the street, the plan of the house is 'Loosian' and classic in layout: a large central entrance with a monumental, refined stairway connects all levels of the house. Behind the entrance are reception rooms with secondary functions symmetrically located on both sides of the spine. Towards the garden, the house begins to unfold in a more 'Miesian' logic, with the plan revealing a series of glazed rooms that stretch asymmetrically into the garden. The space flows freely from one room to the other, without any visual interruptions. The living room, with its elegant fireplace, breaks the symmetry of the entire experience by protruding into the garden. This introduction to a diagonal play of views breaks with the more classical composition present in the rest of the house.
On the first floor, a long corridor stretches along the street facade, giving access to the bedrooms. Services are located in the mid-section of the building, forming a clear strip of elegant enclosed spaces while maximizing the garden views from each bedroom. On the lower floor, the logic of a coherent promenade from darker to luminous spaces is enhanced through a spatial sequence that ends in the large balconies with a river view. The second floor houses the pool and gym, also capitalizing on the spectacular views over the river and adjacent park. Water reflections blend the colors of the marble slabs and create an abstract and intangible space, while large glazed surfaces emphasize the continuity between interior and exterior. In the basement, the garage is designed as a wide hall with unconventional materials for its purpose: wooded walls and a natural stone floor. The curvilinear walls of the space form a 'unicum' compared to the orthogonal severe shapes of the villa: a dynamic and impressive entrance room or 'rotonda' for motorized access.
Towards the street, the house presents an imposing and monumental volume, structured in vertical slabs of 'livre ouvert' natural stone with fine brass lining. This facade is entirely closed, except for the solid patinated brass entrance doors and four marble panels on the first floor. These panels are motorized and can be opened, unveiling a singular large window that provides daylight to the corridor on the first floor. Towards the top of the house and the corners, the volume gradually pulls back, creating a staggering volumetric corner detail reminiscent of a proto-modern syntax. The solid exterior of the house gradually opens up toward the garden, as the wall mass becomes increasingly interrupted by glazed openings. The garden facade expresses itself as fully horizontal, with transparent surfaces and opaque bands soaring into large overhangs overlooking the garden.
The palette of materials for the exterior is limited to brass, glass and bronze Gris Pulpis—a brown Spanish marble with white veins. The detailing of the facade is kept extremely clear in its lines and expressions, removing any element that suggests mechanical or technical movement, such as hinges and sliders. The natural stone continues onto the ceilings of the roof overhangs that face the garden and extends into the villa to strengthen the seamless transition between interior and exterior. The timeless interior of the house was designed by Studio Christian Liaigre in Paris.
Because of its monumental facade facing the street, the house doesn't require a wall or gate for privacy. The house stands free and fully visible while simultaneously offering privacy for the interior. The garden was designed with a natural chain of trees and bushes to create an array of lush green spaces around the house. An old Japanese Acer tree stands majestically in front of the imposing marble facade and creates a beautiful play of shadows on the sheets of natural stone. At the back of the house, the crowns from a group of Pinus sylvestris trees create a natural response to the stark horizontal lines of the balconies projecting into the garden.
Villa B combines the robustness of the classical townhouse with the elegance and openness of the modernist bungalow. It defines the essential qualities of living by fully embracing the characteristics and spirit of the site, the excitement of architectural expression of space and devotion to celebrating natural materials.