Architect: Sigurd Larsen
Location: Essen, Germany
Status: Completed 1791, internal extension completed 2020
Size: 350 m2

This is a look at the concrete structure within the house with light beige tones that stand out against the wooden ceiling with exposed beams.

This is a close look at the interiors of the house that has bright walls and exposed wooden beams.

This is a close look at the large glass wall that is supported by the concrete structure.

The glass wall glows warmly with its interior lights that escape through the glass.

The white walls of the interiors are contrasted by the rustic wooden dark beams.

The side of the glass wall is adorned with a potted plant on one side and a black piano on the other.

This angle of the house gives a nice contrast between the modern white walls and the rustic wooden beams.

This is a model representation of the house showcasing the white concrete structure inside the wooden outer frame.

This is a close look at the top of the white concrete structure reacking up to the wooden ceiling.

The glass wall has a small glass door on one side for entry.

This is a look at the interior of the concrete structure that has a tall glass wall and large exposed log beams.

The interior of the concrete structure has a tall arched ceiling followed by the glass wall in its shape.

This is a corner of the house with a loft above accessed by a white ladder.

This is a look at the bathroom of the house that has a sink next to the glass-enclosed shower area.

The home office has a built-in wooden desk that matches the light hardwood flooring.

This is a close look at a hanging shelf at a corner of the bathroom.

This is a close look at a red brick flooring that is elevated.

This is a close look at a wooden frame for the glass wall.

This is a top view of the model representation of the house.

This is the interior of the house with green wooden structures and dark wooden beams above.

This is the main entrance of the house with a wide wooden door entry that has a view of the glass wall within.

This is a model representation of the house's front elevation.

This is a model representation of the house's cross section elevation.

This is an illustration of the house's cross section elevation.

This is an illustration of the house's site map.

This is an illustration of the house's parts and components.

This is an illustration of the house's parts and components as well as construction.

This is an illustration of the house's ground level floor plan.

This is an illustration of the house's main level floor plan.

This is an illustration of the house's roof level floor plan.

The Dortmannhof is a typical eighteenth-century Hallenhaus, a common construction style from the region around Essen in western Germany. In a Hallenhaus, the familial living area and barn were brought together under one roof in a compact structure that could be up to five stories tall. The current residents are not farmers, however, but a family of musicians.

To serve their needs, an eleven-meter high music studio was added at the center of the three parallel barn spaces. Additionally, a guest house with a separate entrance was constructed in the eastern barn and a large additional bathroom to the western barn.

The building’s new spaces grow tall and narrow like the surrounding crops. Large north-facing windows allow for additional daylight to stream through the old perforated walls which were originally meant to ventilate the hay. The historic building is comprised of several entrances and internal connections which allowed for various farming activities to occur simultaneously. These features have been retained, allowing family life, creativity, and work to coexist in a similar spirit.

The new internal additions to the house were constructed as oversized inhabitable furniture which can be removed to restore the building’s historical appearance. This approach was taken to meet the requirements of the German law for monument protection, which allows for historic buildings to be adapted for modern usage.