Bredeney House by Alexander Brenner Architects

Bredeney House by Alexander Brenner Architects

Architects: Alexander Brenner Architects
Project: Bredeney House
Location: Essen, Germany
Photography: Zooey Braun

The Brucker Holt District in Essen was constructed in its present form n the 1960s. On the clearing formerly used for agriculture, flat, sedate villas were constructed on extensive properties in those days and were characterised by one conspicuous feature: they all have generous front gardens without any encircling hedges or fences. Only later, the more than head-high evergreen hedges and fence systems were added.

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The Bredeney House with its generous driveway in an open, semi-public front garden, however, takes reference from the partly still existing 1960s houses. A separation from the public space is only achieved by the level of the house itself.

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As regards its modesty, the large, lying building is to a greater extent also oriented by earlier buildings in this quarter. It rather sees itself as a manifesto against the much too extensive arbitrariness of today’s »villa architecture«. The house would like to be a sedate and timeless urban component, which appears in full sunshine as well as under the moon’s blue clarity as if it has always been there.

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The interior programme of the residence follows the wishes expressed by the residents and naturally rests on the existing topography. A hall connects the 4-metre high ground level accommodating the kitchen, the dining and living areas to the wing with private rooms. The parents’ area is located half a storey above the living level, whereas the children’s realm and the guestrooms are situated half a level in the opposite direction.

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All occupied rooms open up towards the garden via their inner corner, which is in the eastern section crossed by an oblong terrace. A simple cubic garden pavilion with transparent sides facing the house and the garden acts as a terminus of the terrace and adds an architectural corner point to the outdoor area.

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