marte marte architekten design cor-ten steel tower for family

marte marte architekten design cor-ten steel tower for familyall images courtesy of marte marte architekten

stefan marte, one half of the team of brothers and principals at marte marte architekten, found his daughters outgrowing another one of his designs- his own home. while the firm is renown for their use of expertly composed concrete volumes, for the ‘maiden tower’ addition designed specifically for his daughters, a new tectonic avenue in the form of cor-ten steel was employed. patterns of rusted bolts and lines along the welding beads form a complex skin for the massive structure. the oxidizing steel’s warm, weathered patina both matches and is distinguished from the raw, stony material of the existing home, while interiors remain the same palette of gently-grained wood cladding and pristine hues. in the rolling green space between the two buildings, an in-ground pool bores into the hillside and links the two structures with the landscape. drawing from the conceptual narrative of a fairy tale, the tower allows the girls their private spaces while glazed apertures face the protective house of their parents and the nearby idyllic forest. stairs that pierce each level continue the to mirror ideas about the interplay of freedom and guidance as well as communicate that architecture can both convey respect and draw boundaries. this domestic dwelling uses spatial ideas to convey concepts in parenting and human growth all underpinned with a whimsical narrative and awash in an incredibly rich and considered material palette.

on the building:

if it is true that the first few years of life shape our future spatial desires, then these girls will have had a very valuable personal experience that their future prince charmings will probably not have had: a life in manifest appreciation.

views of the steel tower and existing concrete home