The Morjan-Poeten House, Germany

The archaic simplicity of the hunting lodge built by the architect Nikolaus Bienefeld is captivating. As well as the attention paid to the use of ecologically sound construction methods, the carefully thought-out and efficient organization of space make this 62-m² building a miniature masterpiece. The architect himself took care of even the tiniest detail. The brick-enclosed construction envelope creates a robust, traditional but refined impression, which is testament to the ingenuity with which the brick architecture was planned and executed. The result has also been achieved using an economically priced brick – a feat that requires higher levels of skill and experience on the part of the bricklayers. Window and door lintels and the gable edge bring diversification to the regular brick courses and the details reveal an intriguing design freedom borne of using brick as the primary construction material. Artistic details on the façade such as the letter box and doorbell are not simply screwed-on, off-the-shelf designs, but instead show how much care and attention can be invested into the finishing touches of a house.