The competition scope consisted of closing a vacant lot with a residential building in the northern German town of Schwerin. The back of the property can be reached either by foot or through the building (by foot and by car). The main entrance to the staircase is also located in the building’s passage. From there, you can enter the building’s technical room and the two apartments.

The building height is in line with the adjacent house. The gable-roof form can be found on several buildings in the street. The inclination of 30 degrees of the roof slope corresponds with the ideal tilt for photovoltaic systems. The street-side roof is steeper, with 50 degrees, to accommodate the rooms underneath. This section of the roof is covered with a gray tile. The facade is horizontally structured with standing window formats. The street facade is plastered on the upper floors with a metal facade on the ground floor. With regard to color, both materials are adapted to the street scene in a light sand-color tone. The windows and the gate on the ground floor can be closed by lateral sliding elements. When open, the sliding elements fit behind fixed elements in the metal facade.

Overall, this results is a quiet, restrained appearance from the street. The courtyard facade stands in deliberate contrast to the street facade. By placing continuous loggias and floor-to-ceiling windows, the back of the building gains in spatial depth and openness. The terrace floors and walls, as well as the ceilings, both in the terraces and the loggias, are completely covered with wooden slats to make the private outdoor space of both apartments particularly inviting.

The focal point of the two apartments is the spacious living kitchen, which opens to the courtyard through the large-format patio windows. Both apartments are spread over 2 floors and are connected by additional internal stairs. The second floor apartment also has a gallery overlooking the kitchen with double room height. As a result, the roof space is fully utilized.