Weyell Zipse Architekten

Description

A residence was to be built for a couple on the coast of Stralsund on the Baltic Sea. We immediately fell in love with the place – one of the last unbuilt sites near the city, with a sea view. However, as we later realised, this is as much a house among trees as on the water. Three equally and vertically proportioned rooms resonate with the high trees and form the symmetrical backbone of the house. Linoleum floors reflect daylight, while light-coloured ornamental ceiling paintings lend the spaces a specific character. All other rooms are arranged between the three main spaces. In the bedrooms, horizontal window bands create a horizon that is extended by the use of mirrored surfaces. Fine wood details contrast with the raw aluminium windows. Except for a few rooms, there are no doors. The three floors form a spatial continuum intertwined by sight lines across galleries. Externally, the symmetrical floor plan is covered with a simple gable roof. The result is a straightforward volume that reveals nothing of its complex interior and blends in with the neighbouring buildings. A spiral staircase leads to the tower room, which offers a view towards the sea and access to the roof terrace. Positioned at the corner of the building, it emphasises the orientation toward the coast and recalls the historical local brick warehouse buildings that proudly look out to the water.