A family home in the countryside

Simple, functional and modern – that was Carsten Joost's vision for his family home in his role as client, architect and builder. To achieve these aims, he had to employ certain architectural tricks. The biggest structural challenge was overcoming the force of gravity. “On top, we wanted a mass; a closed building structure which would serve as a place of retreat for the family. Below we wanted everything as open as possible, so the garden feels like part of the home,” describes Joost. A staircase connects the two levels, emerging subtly from the wall. “I think the staircase is the pièce de résistance of the house and the coolest thing,” says Joost. “We spent ages tinkering about with it to ensure it didn't encroach on the space and disrupt the large, bright living area.”

The ground floor is where the family spend most of their time. They cook and eat here and the children can play hockey, ride their tricycles and run wild. Looking out into the garden, it is hard to tell where the house ends. While it actually stops at the profiles of the Classic Design sliding doors, it feels like the living area doesn't end until you reach the green wall of lime trees and meadows at the property boundary. Friends visiting from Hamburg are regularly amazed by this visual extension of the living space, as well as by the constantly changing atmosphere of the house depending on the weather, time of day and season. “This is primarily due to the concrete,” says Joost. “The light reflecting off of the oakwood floor makes it always look different. On sunny days, it's almost white and when it's cloudy, it has a yellow tinge.”

It was important to him to use “honest” materials in his construction – exposed concrete, bricks, oiled oak parquet flooring inside and Siberian larch wood outside. All of these things begin to age from day one; they change, acquire a patina and, in his view, become more and more attractive. “There are scratches, signs of use and things are never perfect. Although that's something you have to get used to at first, it's fascinating,” he explains. The house reminds you that everything is in a constant state of change. 

Full interview with Carston Joost