V12k03 - Urban Housing

In an inner-city context the spatial qualities of private dwellings depend on the degree of privacy. On the street-side outside the house, you wish to store your bike when coming home from work and to protect yourself from the rain while searching for your keys. You may also long for a place where to lean on when talking to your neighbours.

Inside the building you decide how much communication with the neighbourhood you allow for, how much you want to expose yourself while letting natural daylight into your private rooms or if you want to sit in- or outside while having dinner.

V12K03 projects these qualities on an inner-city urban plot of 7 by 15 meters. The ground floor connects with the hidden patio at the rear of the residence and merges with street-life at the front door under a covered open air space. Above, the wooden box hides the private rooms behind a filter of enormous timber panels that can individually be adjusted in order to allow for daylight and privacy. The rooftop studio space provides a spectacular view over the historic centre of the city of Leiden.

pasel.kuenzel architects