Designed by Düsseldorf-based interior architecture practice Falkenberg Innenarchitektur, House Rheder II is designed as a serene retreat, shedding inessential features and integrating itself within the natural landscape. Framing views of the idyllic greenery of East Westfalia and gentle waters of the river Nethe, the project aims to dissolve the chaos of modern life.
"In a time of excess we have built a house that makes the essentials tangible," said the client. "It should not be big and important, but small and correct."
Originally a holiday home from the 1950s, the house was rebuilt starting in 2015, preserving the original floor slab and terrace over the water as a foundation to pare down to 90 square meters of essentials: light, air, and tranquility. The structure is minimalist, with exposed steel supports and a steel frame supporting fully glazed facades. Filigree floor-to-ceiling glass sliding doors open to a timber deck on the water-facing side of the building, cantilevered into panoramic views of Rheder country park.
A reflecting pool on the southeastern side of the house reflects the sky and sunlight onto the ceiling inside, further dissolving the separation between interior and exterior. From the opposite wall a fireplace protrudes, bringing warmth to the heart of the house. The living room is finished with minimal furnishings, allowing residents the flexibility to personalize their sanctuary.
The new, great task of our time is to leave the unimportant and to give more space to the essential. To feel connected with nature is an integral and essential part of our lives. It gives us peace and structure, space for thought and grounding in the hectic of our age.
A ceiling-height sliding partition divides the living room and conceals two intimate bedrooms and a bathroom, all of which feature skylights. A small technical room beyond houses all technology, which can be controlled by an app.
Learn more about the project here.
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