HAUS IM RIES
At the edge of the Donau-Ries, where around 14.5 million years ago a meteorite impact formed one of southern Germany’s most distinctive landscapes, lies the village of Niederaltheim. The gently undulating crater, with its fertile loess soil, continues to shape the character of this cultural landscape today. At the edge of the protected ensemble of the linear village, the new Haus im Ries fits into the sequence of historic farmhouses and barns. The aim was to create a building volume that integrates calmly and naturally into this grown structure.
The new building follows the logic of regional vernacular architecture: an elongated, barn-like structure with a large roof surface forms the backbone of the house. Its proportions and geometry take up the typology of the surrounding farms and translate it into a contemporary form of living. The result is a house that is anchored equally in the village and in the landscape.
The construction follows a principle of reduction and economy. On a solid floor slab that acts as thermal mass stands a single-leaf monolithic brick masonry wall, finished with lime plaster inside and out. The coloured exterior plaster anchors the house in the landscape, while inside, a lime wash leaves the raw materiality of the brick visible.
A finely detailed timber structure is inserted into the masonry to support the roof. A lightweight framework of solid timber replaces large beams and enables spatial variety with minimal material use. Concrete is used only where it is structurally appropriate.
The floor plan is organised by an inserted spatial piece of furniture. Instead of conventional rooms, zones are created: a large living space forms the centre, while the private areas are arranged as compact retreats. A corridor only 80 cm wide connects everything and brings the human scale into focus.
Large south-facing glazed openings open the house towards the landscape. Barn-like sliding doors made of rough-sawn larch provide shading and give the building its agricultural character. Wood, brick, and lime wash remain visible and define the atmosphere.
A simple shed completes the residential building as an ensemble. The result is a quiet, durable building that connects place, landscape, and construction into a natural whole.
