Lagom residential complex
Either they turn grey unattractively or they are high-maintenance: there are many prejudices against wooden facades. The Lagom residential quarter on Lake Ammersee puts a stop to this. The complex relies on a colour-stable coating system for its outer skin of wooden slats, which is not only durable and easy to maintain, but can also be applied in advance.
- Architect:
- lynx architecture
- Builder:
- LFO Projekt GmbH & Co.KG
- Photos:
- Bauwerk Capital
- Location:
- Herrsching on Lake Ammersee, Germany
- Products:
- Lignosil-Color
- AquaROYAL-EPS
- AquaROYAL-MW
Lagom - not too little, not too much
Residential quarter in Herrsching am Ammersee
Meadow, forest and lake: Nature has secured a leading role in the Lagom residential complex in Herrsching. To the north, the area borders directly on a small floodplain forest with a stream, shrubbery and flower meadow. To the south, only a hundred metres separate it from the shore of the Ammersee. All around, everything is green. The box seat in the centre is occupied by a 15,000 m2 plot of land. And on it: five detached houses, four semi-detached houses, 17 terraced houses and two apartment buildings.
Marine architecture as a model
The architecture of the quarter was inspired by the shipping on the lake: projections and recesses reminiscent of ship's bows structure the two blocks of apartment buildings, each 60 m long, on the southern boundary of the site and make them look like three or four houses lined up next to each other. The result is small house units, each offering space for six or nine one- to four-room flats. All living and dining areas are south-facing with terraces and loggias. The bedrooms are on the quiet north side.
"But for the facade we wanted wood"
The planning contract for the entire facility was secured by lynx architecture on the basis of a competition. Their goal: to express the theme of nature and boat (house) architecture in the best possible way in the complex. Each house at Lagom was to have the same effect as the boathouses on the lakeshore in front of it. "A reinforced concrete construction was required as the supporting structure for this project, explains architect Susanne Muhr, partner at Lynx Architectur. The flat roof and staggered storey were also specified from the start, she continues: "But for the facade, we wanted wood."
Colour coating by arrangement
"Because of this requirement, we became aware of the KEIM Lignosil-Color wood coating at the time," recalls the planner. "We already specified the material in the tender, and we even agreed on the design in close cooperation with the coating companies and with the manufacturer of the coating in order to find an optimal solution, informs Muhr."
For the wooden facades of the multi-storey apartment buildings near the lake, the architects chose a light coating, the middle rows of houses combine plaster and a somewhat darker wood colour; directly on the forest, the wooden facades that completely envelop the houses there again reflect the dark shade of the tree bark behind them throughout.
Fourfold protection - simply applied at the factory
Beforehand, the laths made of Nordic spruce were coated in the planing and coating plant of HΓ€ussermann GmbH & Co.KG with the silicate coating system consisting of four layers. This, too, was done in the interests of optimum finish quality. An essential component of the system's performance is the double-applied primer. It serves as moisture protection and at the same time is a bonding agent for the two top coats of Lignosil-Color.
Long service life
In future, the maintenance of the facades in Lagom will require little effort, as the coating system used does not change the physical properties of the wood and it thus retains its own protective function. UV radiation also does not affect the coating system, so that the colour tones do not fade. If a renovation coating is not expected to be necessary for another 15 years, only the top coat needs to be renewed, whereby the wood remains open to diffusion even when it is repainted.
"The maintenance effort of the façade coated with Lignosil-Color thus corresponds to that of a plaster façade," architect Muhr is pleased to say.
The wood cladding thus harmonises perfectly with the plastered facades of the complex. These were clad with KEIM Aquaroyal ETICS with EPS and mineral wool insulation, a system that is characterised by an exceptionally high diffusion capacity. It is fungicide- and biocide-free, does not contain any toxic substances and has the ability to absorb moisture that accumulates on the surface and release it in the form of water vapour. Since the release of moisture is four times faster than the absorption, the system offers algae and moss less of a surface to attack and thus remains beautiful for a long time.
The best prerequisites, therefore, for fulfilling the high standards of the new residential quarter: "Well-being for the advanced".