House G

Renovation and refurbishment of a single-family home

Location: 85521 Ottobrunn

Year: 2023-2025

Team IFUB*: Dominik Schmidt, Marco Bross, Clemens Gritl, Bernhard Kurz

Together with: Bau|Frei Beratende Ingenieure Geisler + Tremel PartGmbB (Tragwerksplanung), Herzog & Roth PartGmbB  (Wärmebrückenberechnung), Dipl.-Ing. Ariane Sibitzky (SiGeKo)

Client: private

Handwerker*innen: PLAN/B e. K. (Zimmerei und Generalunternehmer), BS Bautenschutz GmbH (Rohbau, Innenausbau, Erdarbeiten), HESAGO Heizung - Sanitär GmbH (HLS), EMG Elektrotechnik GmbH (ELT), Klaus Stank (Malerarbeiten)

In the suburbs of German cities, a major transformation is slowly but surely beginning. Single- and two-family houses from the post-war and “economic miracle” years are being taken over by the next generations or sold to young families. Even if these houses have been well maintained and kept in good condition, renovation and often also conversion are now required. This is also the case with the

House G

built in 1975 in a suburb south of Munich, which was purchased by a young family. In addition to the energy-related and structural renovation, the adaptation of the floor plans to the living habits of the new residents was also on the agenda. The aim was to create a friendly, bright and open yet also flexible home while embracing the unique characteristics and particular qualities of the existing building.

All windows were replaced with new triple-glazed 

wood-aluminium windows.

The staircase window, however, was replaced with a new clear glass window for both energy efficiency reasons and to allow more daylight into the space.

A continuous horizontal lower termination of the timber façade was important to the clients; therefore, the existing light wells were raised and the eaves strip was modelled accordingly. In the area of the paving, this results in a higher plinth that protects the timber façade from splash water.

The old paving in front of the entrance was stored on the side during construction and subsequently reinstalled.

The windows were largely retained in their original positions and dimensions, with only a few exceptions. At the south-facing window on the ground floor, however, the parapet was removed and a new

floor-to-ceiling window

was installed to allow direct access from the dining area to the garden.

To open up the living space more towards the garden, the windows on the

garden façade

on the ground floor were enlarged. To ensure harmony between the siblings, two new, equally sized window elements were installed on the upper floor. The balcony and loggias were integrated into the thermal envelope and, at the clients’ request, fitted with a new, simple balcony railing matching the façade. The garage was only repainted and continues to define the edge of the garden without merging awkwardly with the house.

The timber cladding is executed with

varying board widths,

which simplify a harmonious transition at the building corners.

A close-up view of a

window

detail. The sun shading is concealed above and behind the façade. The reveal board covers the guide rail of the shading system. As the window is mounted on the exterior side of the façade, it creates a generous internal window sill that can be used as a functional surface.

Together with the new façade insulation and the windows, the insulation of the basement ceiling and the ceiling above the upper floor, the air-to-water heat pump and the photovoltaic system on the roof, as well as the decentralised ventilation system with heat recovery, an excellent

KfW Efficiency House 55 EE

standard was achieved.

Through the open cloakroom, light enters the previously dark hallway, which is now part of the living space. The wall of the former kitchen was removed, which made it possible to optimise the space for the

cloakroom

and enlarge the kitchen and dining room.

Through a few targeted interventions in the floor plan, the old room layout was transformed into a modern, open living concept. A new opening, in combination with the existing arched opening, now connects

living, cooking and dining.

The resulting large space allows views towards three façades of the house – and therefore in three different directions. From the view from the kitchen onto the street, to the access to the southern garden, and all the way to the view through the new large sliding door onto the terrace.

At IFUB*, we are pleased when our clients actively contribute to the project.

The colours and materials of the interior spaces,

as well as the kitchen and the built-in furniture, were designed by the clients themselves and, in some cases, also implemented by them.

The staircase was completely preserved, with the exception of the new window. The high-quality natural stone and the design of the railings reflect the taste of the time, but also blend harmoniously into the overall design of the house.

The staircase

plays a key role in the new concept. So the house was divided into two independent residential units. As long as the three children live in the house, both apartments are used and the staircase then connects the apartments. If the children have moved out of the house, one of the two apartments can be rented out or used by the (then adult) children as a separate apartment and then the staircase is purely a circulation space.

As long as the children are still small, the

children’s room

facing the balcony is designed as one large space shared by two children. As the need for privacy increases over the years, a simple partition wall can be installed – the screed has already been executed with acoustic separation for this purpose, and two identical windows have been prepared.

On the upper floor, the bathroom was kept in the same location but converted into a modern, age-appropriate

shower and bathtub bathroom.

At present, it serves as the family’s main bathroom and simultaneously allows for the potential subdivision of the house into an upper and lower floor.

After the high-quality, ecological renovation and the contemporary internal conversion, the building is now more than ready for

the next 50 years.

Floor Plan Ground Floor

Floor Plan 1st Floor

Floor Plan basement

Cross Section

Longitudinal Section

Elevation East

Elevation South

Elevation West

Elevation North