Sculptor's Studio in Darmstadt

Set on a park-like site, the studio is connected to the existing house via a covered corridor and a low intermediate structure that contains a bathroom and a kitchenette. Designed as a simple cubic volume on pad foundations, the studio seems to hover above the lawn. With a room-height of 4.80 m over two-thirds of its ground area, the studio is lit largely from above. The main wall openings in this tract are those in the south-west corner, which permit work to continue out into the garden in summer. The rear section is divided into two storeys. Here the artist can withdraw to rest or write; and there is a library and archive. Here, too, the windows are of various sizes, proportions and positions, allowing different views out and different lighting conditions during the course of the day. This space is divided by built-in elements. The walls, the staircase and balustrade are designed to accommodate shelving and even cupboard spaces. The detailing, surface finishes and coloration are restrained: doors are finished flush with partitions, and shadow joints are used instead of cover fillets. The built-in furnishings have invisible ironmongery and fittings; and lighting and picture-hanging facilities are provided in the form of tracks and strips. To minimize the period of construction in winter, a timber load-bearing structure was chosen. The floor, walls and roof consist of prefabricated, plywood-clad framed elements.