New Life for a Peat Shed, Schechen, Bavaria, Germany
Existing Situation:
The clients had already dismantled the historic peat shed in Kolbermoor, thereby avoiding the planned demolition and disposal of the historic timber structure. At the new site in Schechen, the former peat shed formed a harmonic and pleasing ensemble with the nearby station and existing outhouse building. The project occupies an empty brownfield site in the village and thereby intensifies the existing neighbourhood and prevents the need to occupy unused landscape. The mixed village area enables the logical combination of living and working programs in one building.
Task/Concept:
The task was the re-assembly of the historic timber building and the integration of a house and basket-making workshop. The aim was to construct the new building elements from the traditional building materials of timber
and earth in a water vapour permeable building system, thereby allowing the rejection of any mechanical ventilation systems. The low-energy house (EnEV -30%) should also be regeneratively powered.
Design:
The design concept was developed in close collaboration with the clients as a self-build project. The shed was placed on the western edge of the site stretching along the Ahornallee and Bahnhofstraße, thereby creating a large and well lit area to the east. The newly integrated house and workshop is offset from the load-bearing axis of the historic structure allowing it’s almost complete retention and enabling it’s visibility. The structure is primarily expressed through the free-standing columns and beams. An interior connection between the two programs was not planned; instead, to the west and south, the wall of the new construction moves into line with the historic structure leaving a gangway that accesses the workshop and part s of the storage areas. To the east the new wall moves outside of the structure and opens the house to the garden through it’s large openings. The workshop in the north part of the building has direct access to a storage area for willows and other weaving materials which furthers the historic usage of the structure. The upper living area can be separated to form
an individual area and provides flexibility. The floor plan orientates itself to the east facing garden and terrace with large full height openings.
Building System:
The structure of the peat shed was reassembled true to the original with damaged elements being replaced or repaired using traditional carpentry techniques. Only the foundation would be, through the addition of a new floor slab, adapted to the new program requirements. In the historic structure, the living area and the workshop were inserted as heated volumes. The room closing elements in CO2 neutral materials (timber, wood-fibre insulation and earth) were highly insulated. The permeable system in combination with natural ventilation and the absorptive properties of the earth plaster surfaces, provide a naturally regulated interior room climate, so that despite the highest energy standards and airtight construction of the building shell there is no need for a mechanical ventilation system. The heat generation is regeneratively provided by a central wood boiler and solar thermal collectors.
PROJECT TEAM: Client: Stefanie and Emmanuel Heringer | Architect, Sustainability and energy concept: Roswag Architekten with Guntram Jankowski (LP 1–5) | Structural Engineer, Earth Building Consultancy: Ziegert | Seiler Ingenieure | PROJECT DATA: Usable floor area: 259 sq m (heated), 229 sq m (unheated) | Annual primary energy requirement: 38% of EnEV (2009) reference building | Completion: first construction phase 12/2013
