gerneth medical practice by blum-architekten

gerneth medical practice: a free-form, protruding volume

in the german town of beilngries near ingolstadt, the newly built gerneth medical practice sits on a slope as a free-form and protruding volume. completed by blum-architekten, the building connects to the doctor’s private house via a corridor and projects vertically over the garden – appearing as a weightless object in motion. this impression is evident on the southeast side, where sizeable over-corner glazing takes over the façades. designed using intense and natural material with a highly modern design, the final structure articulates an unusual yet warm atmosphere.

cantilevered street side | all images courtesy of blum-architekten

the architects shaped the gerneth medical practice using rough, off-white tones on walls and ceilings, making it appear as a massive block carved from a solid piece of natural stone. a wash technique on the exterior references the coarse texture of plaster, while untreated concrete based on white cement covers the interiors. tie holes and formwork joints were avoided, further enhancing the expression of solidity. this massive quality, however, is met with a sense of ‘weightlessness’ made possible by activating the parapets as overhangs to prevent the concrete slabs from bending downward.

the volume appears to have been carved out of a massive block

binding the off-white volume with corten + rosewood accents

in terms of color, the rusty red corten steel panels stand out in the façades — tying the window openings on the south side into a band to create a kind of incised solid block. this impression is reinforced by the frameless glass surfaces that lie flush on the outside. with that, blum-architekten developed a concealed window construction using puren blocks in the substructure to ensure thermal separation. a similarly intense color accent defines the interiors via specially designed built-in furniture: a band of rosewood weaves across the rooms, folding into different heights to form benches, sideboards, and the reception counter. this warm tonality is complemented by the cognac-colored leather of the armchairs and the hand-shaped decorative lamps.

over-corner glazing with rusty red corten panels