Haus M private house | Ekphrastics
Haus M private house by Gronych + Dollega Architekten

Haus M private house

Golden A' Design Award Winner 2017

Gronych + Dollega Architekten's Haus M Private House emerges as a sculptural intervention in the landscape, presenting a dramatic cantilevered concrete form that thrusts forward with bold geometric assertion, its angular prow-like projection creating a striking dialogue between mass and void, earthbound stability and apparent weightlessness. The compositional architecture employs dynamic diagonal vectors established by the prominent triangular concrete element that dominates the middle ground, its sharp leading edge drawing the eye along a trajectory from lower left toward the upper right quadrant where a distinctive curved metallic roof element introduces contrasting curvilinear vocabulary. The chromatic palette operates within a sophisticated range of neutrals: warm cream and buff tones characterize the smoothly finished concrete surfaces, while oxidized corten steel panels contribute rich burnt sienna and rust ochre accents along the entry pathway, and cool charcoal gray metal cladding distinguishes the cylindrical upper volume. Natural elements provide chromatic counterpoint through verdant spring greens of deciduous saplings planted within beds of dark volcanic aggregate stone, their fresh foliage creating temperature contrast against the mineral coolness of built surfaces. Spatial construction achieves remarkable depth through overlapping architectural planes and the sinuous curve of the pale pathway that guides the viewer's eye from foreground through the sheltered zone beneath the cantilevered mass. The lighting condition suggests diffused overcast illumination, creating soft shadows that emphasize the sculptural volumes without harsh contrast, while the pale sky provides a neutral luminous backdrop that silhouettes the vertical metal mast element rising at left. Textural dialogue between smooth board-formed concrete, corrugated metal ribbing, weathered steel patina, and polished aggregate pathway surface creates rich material variety that rewards close examination and establishes a contemporary deconstructivist aesthetic resonant with the experimental formal vocabulary of late twentieth-century architectural innovation.

The shape of the building is meant to imitate an extract of a mine. The inside of the residence revolves around the living room, which measures 6 meters in height and is divided by a gallery layer. An open and tense spatial structure is being formed hereby. The frontal terrace plane operates like a stage set and creates more depth within the room.