HGA, marc flick & christian stock build monolithic all-black house in germany

located in a suburban district in the city of mainz, germany, the black house by HGA, marc flick & christian stock is one of two residential buildings in an architectural ensemble characterized by a black-and-white color concept. the elongated residence features a black tone on its entire exterior, including the dark tiles on the roof, which gives it a monolithic appearance, while the only element that contrasts the dark-hued building are the windows, which are framed in natural larch wood.all images by david schreyer

HGA & marc flick & christian stock have designed the black house as a contrasting volume to its counterpart white house next door, as the color concept of the two volumes lets them act as an ensemble on the shared property. the heart of the ensemble is formed by three large oak trees between the houses, while the elongated form of the house allows enough space for a generous garden that coexists harmoniously with the surrounding vegetation. though opposite, the colors of the two houses give the impression of a united architectural ensemble, further enhanced by similar construction details.

the architects have planed the interior with an open, spacious ground floor that includes the cooking, dining, and living areas, while a large glass sliding door connects this space to the garden terrace. the much denser upper floor includes individual bedrooms for the three children and a separate unit for the parents, achieving maximum use of the given space through sliding doors that connect the different areas without taking up too much space. the compressed adjoining rooms are aligned with the neighboring properties and thus also function as a buffer zone. at the same time, the matching, asymmetrical position of the roof ridges reflects the strict floor plan of the house.

project info:

name: black house

architect: HGA & marc flick & christian stock

floor area: 188 m²

location: mainz, germany