This architect-designed home in Kassel impresses with its finely tuned material concept and smart home technology from Gira. One special eye-catcher is the façade, fully clad with reinforced concrete door pillars. Join us for a tour.
In a quiet residential area in the west of Kassel, a U-shaped building with sharp angles stands out among single-family houses and villas with classic gable and hipped roofs. Thanks to its low-rise construction, slightly staggered floors, and clean lines, this residence radiates modernity, elegance, and confidence.
The most striking feature is its distinctive exterior façade: it is completely clad in reinforced concrete door pillars. In most buildings, this element is used purely for structural purposes and usually hidden from view. Here, the pillars are deliberately showcased as a key design feature.
The reduced formal language continues inside: exposed concrete meets warm wood in floors, stairs, and built-in furniture. The contemporary living concept is rounded off with smart home technology that combines convenience with energy efficiency.
Two worlds under one roof: living and working in harmony
For Ulrike and Tore Pape, owners of the architectural practice pape+pape GmbH and also the house itself, the project was a true labour of love. Their goal: to create a powerful place where they could not only live but also work successfully. Their new home brings together two worlds under one roof: private life and professional creativity.
The two areas are clearly separated, each with its own entrance. The studio occupies the southern wing of the building and is reached via the courtyard driveway. Covering around 250 square metres, it offers generous space for creative work. The equally large living area is located in the rear west wing and has its own entrance on the west side of the house.
The two sections are linked by a narrow, double-height library. Outside, the architect-designed house is surrounded by a spacious garden.
Design with structure: reinforced concrete as an architectural statement
A particular highlight is the striking façade design with 1.5-metre-long reinforced concrete door pillars. These slim, horizontal components, with their visible joints, lend the building a sense of both lightness and order.
In some places, the elements even extend across the windows – but with a wider spacing, emphasising the openness and airy feel of the design.
Alongside the defining concrete pillars, large timber reveals also shape the appearance, adding extra depth to the façade.
The roughly 260-square-metre living area of the U-shaped house wraps around the east-facing garden terrace, creating a green retreat. On the ground floor, kitchen and living room are separated by a contemporary split-level arrangement.
A gracefully curved spiral staircase made of laminated timber with a rounded balustrade leads to the first floor, which houses three bedrooms. The basement offers space for technical equipment, archive storage, and a garage.
Straight-lined architecture, soft interior design
Inside, the clear architectural language of the house continues, shaped by a pared-back material palette. Walls and ceilings are in exposed concrete, contrasted by floors, stairs, and built-ins in warm wood for a cosy touch.
As a counterpoint to the many straight lines, the architect couple deliberately introduced softer, rounder shapes into the interior – for example, the white dining table with a round top and the elegantly curved enclosure of the spiral staircase.
Smart solutions from Gira: a modern smart home that thinks for itself
The smart home technology, based on the Gira KNX system, integrates seamlessly into the couple’s contemporary living concept, combining convenience with energy efficiency. Whether lighting, blinds, heating, or security systems – everything can be networked intelligently and adapted flexibly to the couple’s personal needs and routines. Automation also ensures that energy is only used where it’s really needed.
The minimalist pendant and spotlights in the modern studio home are controlled directly via the multifunctional Gira pushbutton sensor 4.95 in an elegant design. The central control element is the Gira G1 with its fixed multi-touch display: with just a tap, all smart home functions – from lighting and climate to music and door communication – can be managed with ease.
Style and function in perfect harmony
The switches and sockets from the Gira E2 design line provide stylish accents on the walls. This classic among Gira’s design lines impresses with timeless, angular design and is available in a wide range of colours and materials – making Gira E2 a match for many interior styles.
For the outdoor areas, the architect couple chose the Gira TX_44 series, combining robust technology with a contemporary look. With IP44 protection, it reliably guards against splashing water and dirt. In keeping with the house’s design, all control elements were selected in elegant black.
The studio house in Kassel is more than a home – it’s a carefully thought-out whole, bringing together architecture, design, and technology at the highest level. The clear formal language of the façade, the homely atmosphere inside, and the powerful smart home technology from Gira make it an inspiring place to live and work.
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