While most glass and concrete buildings may look dull and uninspiring, MBA/S Matthias Bauer Associates prove that doesn’t always have to be the case. The German architecture firm completed Haus 39, a stunning contemporary home built from natural and recycled materials in Stuttgart, Germany. Shaped like a “mountain crystal,” the sculptural glass and concrete home blends surprisingly well into its wooded surrounding and optimizes passive solar and atmospheric gain to keep energy consumption at a minimum.
Set on a steep slope overlooking Stuttgart, Haus 39 opens up to urban valley views, natural light, and ventilation through large sections of glazing that wrap around the facade. To break up the building’s monolithic insulting concrete envelope, the architects added a steep triangulated sloped roof and punctuated the facade with differently sized and shaped glazed cutouts. The monolithic folded shell, bearing on two walls, combines insulation and technical installation into one layer.
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The use of rough-sawn concrete is extended to the interior, which features a minimalist materials palette comprising glass, insulating concrete, and timber. “On a modest building footprint of 10x12m for the entire building, the architecture creates a spacious effect,” wrote the architects. “The different moods afford a unique, varied living experience. House 36 (re)unites architecture, structure, insulation and systems in a one layer concrete-stone.” The use of insulating concrete and passive solar positioning allow the home to mitigate weather extremes for a comfortable indoor temperature year-round.
+ MBA/S Matthias Bauer Associates
Via ArchDaily
Images via MBA/S Matthias Bauer Associates © Roland Halbe
