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Wellenhaus - House of the waves

Reichel Architekten

Wellenhaus - House of the waves
By Editorial Staff -

The client, a German sailing and underwater photography enthusiast, held an anonymous international competition in 2001 that was won by the Reichel Architekten practice. The Wellenhaus is an attempt to translate into a modern key Palladio’s concept of “magnificence” and “grandeur” expressed in his “Four Books on Architecture”. The result is not so much a reproduction of the codified forms of the Palladian villa (stepped entrance, lateral service wings, and grand staircase), as a reinterpretation of the concept of “magnificence” in a contemporary context. The portal entrance shelters the building without revealing anything of its interior. The open court is awash with vibrations from the surrounding building. From here a winding staircase gives access, at each bend, to the various garden levels, offering sweeping views of the surrounding Rhine valley countryside. Ideally connected to the Guggenheim of Frank Lloyd Wright in New York as a formal reference, Reichel has embedded the building in its natural setting. The gradient of the sloping terrain is a key element of the whole project, defining the building’s geometry, the play of light and shadow of cantilevered elements and stacked levels, broad, curving surfaces and spiralled shapes. The sinuous, harmonious flow of the façades of the Wellenhaus recall the rolling waves of the sea. The parapets resemble the sides of a ship. The ground plan sets out to make interior and exterior spaces permeable. Wide glazed façades blur the line of demarcation between inside and out. The ground floor houses guest and custodian quarters, a projection room, service areas, cellar and garage. A continuum with the garden, the first floor contains a small concert hall, art collection exhibition area, swimming pool and fitness corner, each section flowing effortlessly into the next. The private apartments are on the upper floors. The last storey, housing the night quarters and library, provides stunning views as far as the eye can see....

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