A tiny transparent gap acts as a link to theold, existing house, built in 1904. This small glass gives some view into the private garden behind. The aged facade with its vegetation is protected and not touched. The client asked for more place for their children by not minimizing the area of the existing garden.
The new structure was positioned within the lateral setback area of the existing turn-of-the-century house to minimize the use of garden space. This constraint defined the extension’s minimal width of just 2.60 meters.
Separated from the original building by a 40 cm wide glass joint, the new volume accommodates a spacious foyer and the children’s area. Its external form is carefully tailored to the surrounding neighborhood, with strategically placed openings that block views from the outside while revealing the garden only from within. The cantilevered upper floor facing the street creates a protective canopy for the newly defined entrance area. On the garden side, a recessed terrace allows sunlight from the west to continue reaching the original building’s existing terrace. The prefabricated timber-steel construction enabled a short construction period and supports a sustainable circular economy approach.
