Small Holiday House Connects With Nature Through Dark Walls

This house is only 4 meters wide and 13 meters long which is not a lot by any standards. It was designed and built by architects Christine Arnhard and Markus Eck of studio Arnhard und Eck Architekten. The project was completed in 2014. The dark exterior walls give the house the ability to blend in with its surroundings and to look less intrusive than other structures. The pitched roof is covered with solar panels in the form of tiles. These produce more energy than the house requires and is able to share it with the neighboring homes. The house is located in Oberaudorf, in Germany and serves as a holiday home.

The house is long and narrow as well as tall, a rather unusual descriptionView in gallery
The house is long and narrow as well as tall, a rather unusual description
The large and very heavy garage door is bright pink on the inside, adding a quirky touch to the houseView in gallery
The large and very heavy garage door is bright pink on the inside, adding a quirky touch to the house
The front door is adjacent to the garage and can seamlessly blend into the facade when closedView in gallery
The front door is adjacent to the garage and can seamlessly blend into the facade when closed

The exterior walls are clad in solid wood, with clay bricks lining the inner sections and providing great thermal insulation. The entrance and the garage door are side by side and look just like the rest of the facade, having an incognito character. Inside, the rooms are interconnected and this gives the house a very harmonious atmosphere. The kitchen and dining area are able to extend out into the garden during the sunny summer days thanks to the large sliding doors. The sitting area has large panorama windows which let in light and beautiful views, creating a strong connection between the interior and the outdoor areas.

The dining area and the kitchen can be extended outside towards the gardenView in gallery
The dining area and the kitchen can be extended outside towards the garden
The large glass doors let in lots of sunlight and also frame a great view of the gardenView in gallery
The large glass doors let in lots of sunlight and also frame a great view of the garden
With glazed sections on either side, the social areas are well connected to the outdoorsView in gallery
With glazed sections on either side, the social areas are well connected to the outdoors
A wood-burning stove adds a warm and cozy touch to the living areaView in gallery
A wood-burning stove adds a warm and cozy touch to the living area
The black interior walls give the house an elegant and modern vibe View in gallery
The black interior walls give the house an elegant and modern vibe
The kitchen is small which makes sense for a holiday homeView in gallery
The kitchen is small which makes sense for a holiday home
The staircase which connects the floors is very simple and framed by wood panels on either sideView in gallery
The staircase which connects the floors is very simple and framed by wood panels on either side
An elevated terrace sits at the same level as the ground floor areas, making the transition seamlessView in gallery
An elevated terrace sits at the same level as the ground floor areas, making the transition seamless
The overall design and architecture of the house are modern with influences from rustic cabinsView in gallery
The overall design and architecture of the house are modern with influences from rustic cabins
The narrow sides of the house have small windows which ensure privacyView in gallery
The narrow sides of the house have small windows which ensure privacy
The overall geometry of the house is simple which adds a nice minimalistic touch to the designView in gallery
The overall geometry of the house is simple which adds a nice minimalistic touch to the design
Upstairs, the sleeping has an en-suite bathroom with a skylightView in gallery
Upstairs, the sleeping has an en-suite bathroom with a skylight
The bedroom and bathroom are strangely connected but not in a negative wayView in gallery
The bedroom and bathroom are strangely connected but not in a negative way
A curtain can offer total privacy upstairs when needed and also adds color and texture to the decorView in gallery
A curtain can offer total privacy upstairs when needed and also adds color and texture to the decor
The palette of materials, finishes and colors is reduced to simple options with a natural feelView in gallery
The palette of materials, finishes and colors is reduced to simple options with a natural feel