Wooden House in Gräfelfing

Naturally and unobtrusively, Haus Engel blends into the residential area of the tranquil community of Gräfelfing in the Munich district. The solid wood house, designed by us and realized by HBH Holzbau from Landau, was built for a small family; the grandparents live right next door. The challenge was to create relatively spacious rooms within this compact volume. Although Haus Engel presents itself modestly—even with its footprint of 180 square meters—it develops a refined charm through open floor plans, the free-standing staircase with skylight, and the special slat design on the façade.

The house was built for a well-known Munich chef and his partner, an equally renowned pastry chef. For this reason alone, the freestanding, custom-built kitchen, crafted by a carpenter, is equipped with high-end appliances—though they remain hidden behind seamless surfaces, ensuring that the house always looks tidy.

The solid wood walls, made of laminated timber, provide excellent sound insulation. We developed the wall construction in collaboration with the timber builder: nine-centimeter-thick wooden panels are used, supplemented with wood wool insulation and the substructure for the façade. The wall elements were pre-assembled—including building services, windows, and doors—and delivered to the construction site, where the house was erected within just one week. In total, the construction took about six months, requiring close, precise, and well-coordinated collaboration with HBH Holzbau. The spruce façade, treated with a pre-greying glaze, will naturally weather over time, creating a more irregular patina. The interplay of vertical and horizontal slats on different exterior walls generates an interesting dynamic.

Inside, the house is both charming and clean in design. The ground floor houses the public areas, including the open kitchen, dining, and living spaces, as well as a guest room. A staircase leads to the private quarters on the first floor, where the master bedroom and a children's room—extending up to the roof ridge—are located. Parts of the wooden interior structure were given a white glaze to soften the natural expression. Most of the furniture comes from the owners’ existing collection and has been seamlessly integrated. The overall atmosphere is warm and lively.

Built to passive house standards, the home is heated by a heat pump. The use of regional wood, short delivery routes, and many natural materials make this residence both contemporary and sustainable for the young family.