丨德国丨Florian Baller,Simon Kochhan

Architects:Florian Baller,Simon Kochhan

Area:100m²

Year:2025

Photographs:Kim Fohmann

Category:Residential Architecture,Houses

Design Team:Simon Kochhan, Florian Baller

Engineering & Consulting > Structural:Tragwerk HD Ingenieure

City:Heidelberg

Country:Germany

Text description provided by the architects. Living at the Threshold of Cemetery and Railway Line - House HSBW is located in Heidelberg's Weststadt district, at the threshold between the historic Bergfriedhof cemetery and the adjacent railway line. On a wedge-shaped site, the building develops a distinct, site-specific form that balances urban presence with a sense of privacy.

The building is composed of two clearly differentiated volumes: a single-storey base clad in vertical timber boarding forms the plinth, while an overhanging roof volume with silver standing-seam metal cladding rests above. The rounded western edge responds to the street intersection and creates a smooth transition into the urban context through a continuous eave. Towards the east, a rendered façade with an accentuated entrance mediates to the neighboring residential buildings.

Inside, the seemingly symmetrical entrance arrangement gives way to a deliberately asymmetric spatial sequence. Circulation is guided by carefully positioned openings that bring natural light deep into the interior. Communal spaces are located on the slightly sunken ground floor, while the private rooms are compactly organized on the upper floor. Two double-height spaces create visual and spatial connections between the levels.

Structurally, the building is constructed in timber frame construction with recycled insulation and wood fibre boards. An exposed concrete base and polished screed floor define the material character of the interior. Timber windows with external protective frames and uniformly blue-painted steel elements – including a handcrafted spiral staircase – highlight the project's attention to detail and craftsmanship.

In addition, a photovoltaic system, an air-source heat pump, and a rainwater storage tank support the building's resource-efficient operation. In the garden, materials from the former workshop were reused, including a historic gravestone slab incorporated as a sculptural element.

House HSBW combines structural clarity, a sensitive use of materials, and a strong contextual response to propose a contemporary approach to urban living.

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