Villa Kronbühl

In response to different functional requirements and a beguiling lakeside setting, this house pivots at each level to maximize the landscape experience.

On the northwestern tip of Lake Constance, where Germany, Switzerland, and Austria converge, this 3,700-square-foot house pays homage to the panoramic views over lakes, mountains, sunflower fields, and forest. We have created intimate spaces that celebrate home life while immersing this international family in the alpine environment. 

The owners and their adult children spend a lot of time together running a family business, so their home required inviting, individual spaces for retreat, along with maximum flexibility for entertaining, recreational activities, and work. Practically every space in this home honors a specific view, whether it be the yoga space overlooking a forest and the morning sun, or the main living space overlooking Lake Constance and the Swiss–Austrian mountains.

Striking geometries, scale, and material contrast to create inspiring daily experiences, while their formal purity allows for quiet contemplation. At the top level, a lightweight timber-clad volume perches upon a hammered concrete form, with the basement hunkered into the ground, discreetly hiding a four-car garage.

Pivoting on its axis at each level, every space frames a specific view or aspect. The upper volume looks to the north—the cantilevered master bedroom reaching toward the lake, while affording protection to an outdoor terrace below. The kitchen faces east and leads into a kitchen garden designed by acclaimed Swiss landscape architects Enea.

The sculptural massing, wondrous cantilevers, and expansive window walls provide breathtaking and quintessential views of Lake Constance and the surrounding terrain. A varied and dynamic mix of forms, this complex massing yields a fascinating set of residual spaces to create unexpected and novel places to inhabit.

Location
Kronbühl, Germany
Size
3,700 SF
Year
2022
Status
Built
Scope
Architecture
Project Team
Chad Oppenheim, Beat Huesler, Rasem Kamal, Andrew Dadds, Aaron Kohler; Architect of Record: Katharina Pilz Architekten ETH; Interior Designer: Bernd Gruber
Image Credit
Zooey Braun

Villa Kronbühl

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