OneTwoHouse

OneTwoHouse is a minimalist residence located in Berlin, Germany, designed by rundzwei Architekten BDA. The house presents a deliberate visual puzzle – its façade reads as two distinct dwellings joined together, yet behind this symmetrical exterior lies a single family home. This architectural sleight of hand speaks to something deeper than mere formal play. By adopting the visual language of semi-detached housing, the design navigates Berlin’s dense residential fabric while maintaining the spatial generosity of a detached home. The staggered volumes create the illusion without compromising interior flow, suggesting that perceived density and actual privacy need not be opposing forces.

The sectional organization follows a classical hierarchy of public and private realms. Ground floor spaces open generously toward the garden, where high ceilings and exposed wooden structural elements create an atmosphere of lightness despite the building’s compact footprint. This delicate ceiling treatment – likely cross-laminated timber or similar engineered wood system – provides both visual warmth and structural honesty. The deliberate framing of garden views through carefully positioned windows recalls the Japanese concept of shakkei, borrowed scenery, where architecture mediates between interior space and exterior landscape without dominating either.

Upstairs, the spatial strategy inverts completely. Bedrooms remain intentionally compact, prioritizing intimacy over expansiveness. What distinguishes this arrangement is the oversized central corridor, which transforms from mere circulation into a communal zone – a buffer space between sleeping quarters that can accommodate various informal activities. This approach borrows from Scandinavian residential traditions where hallways function as flexible living zones rather than wasted square footage.

The material palette centers on Proton clay blocks with perlite insulation, assembled using thin-bed mortar techniques. This construction method carries significant implications beyond thermal performance. The dry-stacked quality allows future disassembly and material reuse, aligning with circular economy principles gaining traction in European residential construction. Concrete appears only where structurally unavoidable, with the foundation frost protection executed using foamed glass gravel – a lightweight, insulating alternative to conventional materials.

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