BARCODE HOUSE at Munich, Germany by MVRDV

ByJon Dykstra Houses

BARCODE HOUSE at Munich, Germany by MVRDV.

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Architect: MVRDV
Principal in charge: Jacob van Rijs
Design team: Carola DietrichMarc FeustelVanessa CarlowStefan de KoningChris DaehneBenjamin Wiederock
Copyright: MVRDV Winy Maas, Jacob van Rijs, Nathalie de Vries
Partners
Co-architects and site management: Stadler und Partner, Munich DE: Stuart Stadler and Michael Onischke with Andreas Selbertinger and Susi Felder
Landscape: Keller Landschaftsarchitekten, Munich DE
Services: TGA Büro Haff-Wiesmaier, Munich DE
Location: Germany
City: Munich
Year: 2005
Surface: 900 m²
Status: Realised
Programmes: Residential
Themes: Architecture , Housing , Interiors

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Four houses connected with each other with different design.
Four houses connected with each other with different design.
Each floor has different styles for lighting up the room.
Each floor has different styles for lighting up the room.
The ground floor has wooden flooring and glass walls to enjoy the landscaped outside.
The ground floor has wooden flooring and glass walls to enjoy the landscaped outside.
Next to the kitchen sink is a small wooden table used for dining.
Next to the kitchen sink is a small wooden table used for dining.
A floating staircase is installed behind the layered walls.
A floating staircase is installed behind the layered walls.
This house features its unique concept of stairs and the use of animal statues.
This house features its unique concept of stairs and the use of animal statues.
The upper floors have small terraces and a different concept is expressed depending on the owner.
The upper floors have small terraces and a different concept is expressed depending on the owner.
Professionally designed multipurpose room for small meetings.
Professionally designed multipurpose room for small meetings.
The exterior shows the different designs of individual houses next to each other.
The exterior shows the different designs of individual houses next to each other.
There is a parking space in the courtyard next to the walls with unique patterns.
There is a parking space in the courtyard next to the walls with unique patterns.

Located in the suburbs of Munich, this large villa and studio stretches across two rectangular building plots forming a barcode collage of nine individual units. The programmatic arrangement of the building, informed by the daily routine of the owners, is expressed visually. Each ‘strip’ accommodates a separate programmatic element or activity; its idiosyncrasy accentuated by distinctive interior and exterior material applications.

The large, heavy volume of the Barcode House is divided into ten sections, nine of which have been incorporated into the proposed building envelope. A curtain crosses over the 6 m-wide gap between the two envelopes and unifies the elements to form a single entity. Each individual strip has a unique atmosphere in contrast to that of adjacent strips.

The spatial configuration of the interior is based upon the classical concept of the enfilade. In the Barcode House the resulting form comes from the sum of the individual parts. The interaction of clear, full-size spaces, which span the entire width of one barcode strip, combined with small side rooms – alcoves – that link these spaces, creates a vivid domestic environment: a balance between openness and privacy. A prominent central axis allows for a spatial and visual connection between the sequence of elements and offers voyeuristic moments along the length of the villa.

The Barcode House prioritized sustainability before it became a buzzword for architects. It was decided early on that timber, rather than the cheaper but less sustainable alternative of concrete, would be used for the structure of the house. In addition to this, the house is designed to be incredibly flexible, welcoming multi-family or live-work conditions, should its use change in future.

Sustainability in this sense, a long-lasting house, resulted from good design: anticipating possible changes in patterns of use rather than rigidly enforcing specific ones.

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Jon Dykstra
Jon Dykstra

Jon practiced law before launching his online publishing career, bringing analytical rigor to everything he builds. Home Stratosphere combines that precision with a lifelong obsession with residential design — architecture, interiors, landscape, and furniture.

His current focus is AI-driven design analysis, using artificial intelligence to study patterns in color, layout, and material choice across thousands of homes. His Personality Type Home Design Guide applies personality frameworks to interior aesthetics, helping readers design spaces that reflect how they actually think and live.

His favorite piece on the site is the 25 Most Popular Designs, is a daily-updated ranking of the top designs over the last 30 days, driven entirely by visitor activity. The feedback is invaluable for understanding what resonates most with readers. LinkedIn

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