House Rheder 2: A Harmonious Blend of Architecture and Nature

Heike Falkenberg's Award-Winning Design Offers a Tranquil Retreat

The inspiration for House Rheder 2 came from the modern challenges of everyday life. Falkenberg aimed to create a space that allows individuals to connect with nature, offering peace and grounding in the midst of our fast-paced world. The architecture of the house reflects a desire for naturalness, simplicity, and clarity, with a focus on the sensual perceptibility of various lighting moods and the experience of the four elements: air, fire, water, and earth.

Local and natural materials were used in the construction of House Rheder 2, with local skilled craftsmen bringing the design to life. The house features flexible spatial arrangements, with the living room becoming a part of the patio, and in turn, a part of the landscape. The living space also serves as a kitchen, a dining room, a reading room, and a sleeping space, offering changing spatial qualities as times and seasons change.

The house interacts with its surroundings in a unique way. A reflection pool gives rise to the natural play of light on the ceiling while reflecting the sky and clouds, ensuring the fusion of interior and exterior. Ceiling-high sliding partitions divide the living space from the sleeping areas and the bathroom, while minimalistic furniture offers the residents the freedom to create personal intimate places of retreat.

Located in Rheder, Germany, the house was completed in 2015 and received the American Architecture Prize Bronze Award 2016 in the category of Interior Design Residential. The design and construction of the house were considered as a research project, with simplicity, beauty, minimalism, transformation, local craftsmanship, and authentic materials all being criteria of equal importance.

The design faced the challenge of offering a life in and with nature, directly situated on the banks of the Nethe, a tributary of the Weser River in the German countryside. The result is a light, elegant, restrained building with 90 m² of living area, where minimal steel columns support a continuous glass facade. The delicate three-meter-high glass sliding doors can open up to two-thirds of the facade, resulting in a seamless transition onto a timber-decked patio with great views of the adjacent landscape conservation area.

In conclusion, House Rheder 2 is a remarkable example of architecture that respects and enhances its natural surroundings. Its design is a testament to the power of simplicity and the beauty of nature, offering a tranquil retreat that blurs the boundaries between the indoors and the outdoors. It is a deserving winner of the Silver A' Architecture, Building and Structure Design Award in 2017, and a testament to the innovative vision of designer Heike Falkenberg.