Kreuzberghof
Kreuzberghof is a sustainable living quarter with a clear focus on providing a healthy living atmosphere. Three units will be grouped around a communal botanical courtyard generating a cooling micro climate in the heart of Düsseldorf Kaiserswerth.
Info
| Location | Dusseldorf, Germany |
| Completion | Summer 2024 |
| Size | 800 sqm |
| Units | 3 |
| Status | available |
The project will be completed in summer 2024. Although the still available units are currently not in an active marketing phase, interested parties can register with Nidus. Please send your inquiry via the button.
Concept
The Kreuzberghof in Düsseldorf Kaiserswerth is a dialogue between two buildings and an exchange about their history, present and future: one is an existing building from the 1920s with a very eventful (re)construction history. The other, opposite, is a new building, an individually planned timber construction. The centrepiece of the project, the botanical inner courtyard, which functions as a communal garden, mediates between the two houses, one light, the other dark.
Two restrained, clear structures have been created; together they form a courtyard, reminiscent of the numerous triangular and square courtyards that line the Alte Landstrasse, a former supply artery, like a string of pearls. Interventions in the existing building are more radical than in any of our projects to date, but traces of the past can still be recognised in the interwoven brickwork. The profound replacements opened up the chance for unique spacial qualities such as the large air space connecting the upstair’s living area with the kitchen.
With its dark wooden façade and light-coloured window reveals, the timber construction is reminiscent of a barn building; both buildings are structured by a classic façade rhythm with a balanced ratio of windows and closed walls. A structural response to the changing climate. This is exemplary for the entire construction principle of the project: as a timber construction, with regional timber, the building is built in a simple manner, almost all materials can be dismantled and reused and not to forget: the house can be easily repaired. It starts with the shell and continues with the flooring, which is made of solid wood planks and clay tiles. Apart from this, the timber construction and lack of unhealthy amalgamation of materials the living environment and air quality is one of a kind.
Adaptability, regionality and climate responsibility are the most important issues of our time. It is therefore only consistent that the floor plans are also designed in this way: they show of a large number of rooms of equal size that are neutral in terms of use. We call this flexibility the democratic floor plan.
Learn more about Nidus' approach to building responsibly
Location
The district of Kaiserswerth is the northernmost part of the city of Düsseldorf and was incorporated in 1929. The historic character of the picturesque village takes you on a journey: be it the market square in the old town, the imposing ruins of the imperial palace directly on the Rhine banks or the listed Diakonie ensemble in the middle of spacious green parks. The historic surroundings and the extensive Rhine meadows ensure peace and revitalization at the same time. Only a few minutes' drive from the city centre, Kaiserswerth is a true historical idyll with all the perks of a good city infrastructure.
The Kreuzberghof is a few minutes' walk from the Kaiserswerther Markt with its restaurants and cafés. From here you can quickly reach the Rhine and start hiking for hours. If you have less time, we recommend a relaxed walk through the imposing park of the Diakonie via the Alte Landstraße back to the Kreuzberghof after your daily errands. Numerous historic three- and four-sided farms can still be admired along the Alte Landstrasse. The typical facades with whitewashed masonry and mostly dark green wooden shutters bear witness to the once important supply artery of Düsseldorf.
Units
Unit I
sold
The existing building from the 1920s will be renovated from the ground up. The facade is restructured and now follows a regular style that underlines the clarity of the building. The new white glazed wooden windows are flush with the facade on the outside, the roof with gray Rhine tile covering has a filigree verge without roof overhang. Even if the new front building is the image of a contemporary architectural language, the traces of time should still be legible. In the light gray washed masonry, repair points are subtly highlighted by a cross-jointed bond, thus tracing the history of the house.
One enters the house through a spacious hall that connects the front and back entrances of the building, an architectural element often found in rural manor houses. To the left of the hall is a spacious cloakroom, a bathroom and two bedrooms that can be used as guest rooms or studios. This area can also be used as a separate apartment with its own access at any time. To the right of the hallway is the dining area with the fireplace lounge and the kitchen, which opens up to the gallery on the upper floor and has a ceiling height of more than six metres. The private family living room with a view of the kitchen alongside two separate bedrooms are located on the first floor. In the attic floor with the ceilings open to the ridge is the master floor with a dressing room, a spacious bathroom and a sauna on the private roof terrace.
The interior is characterized by lightly glazed spruce wood, which is used in particular for the wall panelling and combined with solid oiled oak for furniture fixtures. Handmade brown loam tiles on the ground floor and lightly glazed wooden floor boards complement the loam walls and make up for a pleasant and healthy indoor climate.
Unit II + III
available, price upon request
As a supplement to the front building, based on the typology of a barn, the courtyard house is being built. A new building made entirely of wood in a timber frame construction. The house with two residential units is light and natural from the inside and has a dark glazed wooden facade made of local spruce on the outside. The roof is covered with dark standing seam sheet metal. The light wooden windows follow a regular facade grid and are accentuated by light reveal frames. During the development of the timber construction, a particular emphasis was placed on a simple construction and the use of materials that can be recycled.
Inside, a flexible floor plan opens up various usage scenarios: numerous rooms of equal size were designed so that the houses can adapt to changing life situations. Nidus calls this principle the “democratic floor plan”. Between the ground floor and the first level, an air space opens up exciting perspectives, living areas can be created on all three levels and offer different atmospheres. In addition, an elevator can be retrofitted if required. Particularly concise and an important part of the design concept are the visible wooden beams, which give the house a distinctive and warm interior.
The principle of resource-saving and reusable material use is also evident in the interior design: solid wood floorboards and handmade loam tiles are used as floor coverings. A bright canon of colors prevails in the bathrooms: custom-made carpentry fittings harmonize with matt white sanitary ware and premium steel fittings. There is additional storage space on all levels. Both units are heated via underfloor heating using an air heat pump.
Unit I - Interior
Unit II + III - Interior
Wooden Model
Related Projects
With this project revolving around so many different aspects of sustainable prospective living, three interior pieces arose from the project Kreuzberghof. The first one is a Quilt made of recycled fabrics whose design is closely linked to the timber building. The Nidus Sofa and Armchair made of oiled oak refer to the refurbishment of the front building.
Check out Nidus Objects
The exhibition "Tensegrity" at the Nidus Architecture Gallery featuring the artist and sculptor Manuel Dück further explored the art of woodworking joints.
Learn more about the exhibition