Klaus Keller. Andy Keller. Kathrin Keller. Architekten

Description

The property is situated in a prominent location on the edge of the village of Berau with sweeping views over the Southern Black Forest. The conversion of this historic barn has resulted in a striking project that preserves the characteristics of the traditional agricultural building while providing two modern, attractive homes. The old barn building was completely gutted and vertically divided into two independent single-family residences. Voids connect several floors, making the dimensions of the former barn palpable even on the inside. Fluid transitions between rooms create an open-air feeling, preventing the typical darkness of deep barn floor plans. On the ground floor, the entrance, kitchen with dining area and the living room are organised in an open, cohesive level. An atrium between the kitchen and living area functions as the «lungs» of the house, bringing daylight and natural ventilation into the centre of the building and creating an immediate outdoor feeling whether with snow in winter or evening air in summer acting as an internal «seasonal garden». On the two upper storeys, each house contains two children’s rooms, two bathrooms, an office and the master bedroom. While the ground floor is characterised by generous flowing spaces, the smaller-scale structures of the upper floors echo the typology of historic Black Forest farmhouses. The external appearance is a contemporary homage to regional building culture. A rear-ventilated façade of carbonised timber draws on the tradition of the region’s timber barns.