Is it just us, or does this waldhaus (weekend house) in the middle of the Brandenburg Forest in Leipzig remind you of a bespoke jacket—perfectly proportioned, exquisitely detailed, and thoughtfully executed?
With a limited palette of only three shades—white, black, and natural wood—German architecture firm Atelier St has created a weekend retreat that feels as timeless as it does modern. Its traditional flared pitched roof and dark wood exterior lends the feeling that the house has been in the forest forever. A few extra-wide-set wall openings, however, reveal the modern sensibility of the architects, Silvia Schellenberg Thaut and Sebastian Thaut, both graduates of Zwickau WH. The way the piping of a jacket matches its lining; we are especially drawn to the way the white of the interior spills out to the exterior as the trim of the window openings.
Above: The treated pine cabinets of the kitchen units introduce the third color of the black and white palette, which appears modern in this context.
Above: The treated pine from the kitchen becomes the frame of the interior opening.
Above: All the surfaces of the living area are painted white. A ladder reaches up to an open attic space that acts as a study.
Above: A wood-burning stove provides heat for the small cottage.
Above: Below the pine opening, a lower opening is lined with pine and serves as a bookshelf.
Above: The treated pine becomes an accent in the bathroom.
Above: The architects continue to play with the lining of surfaces and edges as the shower tiles spill out to line the frame of the opening.
Above: The exterior of the Waldhaus reveals only two of the three colors used for this house: the dark wood clapboards and the painted white trim. The extra wide opening adds a modern touch to a traditional form.
Interested in looking at more cabins and cottages? Browse our photo gallery of Rustic Interiors and our collection of Cabins & Cottages posts.
N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on May 4, 2012 as part of our Beyond Bauhaus issue.