Beautiful exterior, smart interior

The façade of light grey clinker bricks greets visitors as they enter the plot, which also accommodates a guest house and pool house. There is a visual simplicity to the staggered, cuboid architecture that contrasts with the sheer size of the property. Cleverly placed projections and recesses create a sheltered entrance and spacious covered terraces and balconies. Wherever it falls, the eye catches sight of a defining feature of the structure. The sumptuous Polaris waterstruck bricks, in a long, modern shape, emphasise the clear, straight lines and forms of all three buildings. 
 
 

It is this brick that visually links the trio of buildings, which sit on a plot more than 1,000 m² in area. The garages and garden beds have also been clad in the exclusive waterstruck brick, tying them into the overall design. Depending on the time of day, how the light falls, and where they are standing, an observer will see constantly changing patterns and designs on the brick façades.
Jochen Engelshove also chose clay building materials to create the open spaces and paths on the site. Pavers retain their visual appeal throughout their lifespan, which means that they have a good environmental footprint: the joints make surface sealing unnecessary and allow some rain water to drain into the ground rather than into the sewer system. ‘Penter Eros pavers are a great design match for the Terca Polaris facing bricks’, says Engelshove. ‘The retro brick pavers in modern anthracite black seamlessly carry the exclusive look of the façade over into the open spaces and paths’.

The double-skin construction, which combines highly insulating Poroton backing bricks¹ and Polaris facing bricks, does not only look good: ‘Firstly, the double-skin brick wall with cavity wall insulation is highly cost-efficient, provides lasting value, and is low-maintenance’, explains Engelshove, ‘and, secondly, it is sustainable and healthy’. All the buildings meet the KfH 40 Plus energy efficiency standard. In addition to its energy-efficient construction, the project also incorporates state-of-the-art smart home technology. ‘Even without the automated building solutions, it would still achieve the KfW 40 Plus standard, simply because of the design and the excellent properties of the Poroton bricks’.