15/1/2017 STIFTUNGHAUSSCHMINKE>HausSchminke>Architecture>Virtualtour

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It'sMay,1933.TheHausSchminkehasjustbeencompleted.WeenterthepropertythroughthegardengateinKirschallee.Thearchitecthasinsertedgatesforcars
andwalkersintothequarrystonegardenwallwhichhadalreadybeenbuiltin1919.Thegatesarepaintedwhiteoutsideandredinside.

Onthegardenpathbendingtotheright,thefaadeofahouseistobeseenfirst.Ithasasnowywhitefinishingcoatitscrystalcontingentsarereflectinginthe
sunlight.Redrollershuttercasingsandslatebluewindowsurroundsstandoutclearly.It'sanadmirablecontrasttothebluesky,thegreenplantsandtheblackgrey
ofwoodsandshadows.

Asiftheyweretwoindependentbuildings,theonestoreyentranceareaaboundswithitsbig,squarecutwindowsaswellasthewintergarden,similarstructuredbut
furnishedwithcockedwindows.Aslantedroofcoverstheentrancedoor,overhangingthedriveupwidely,whichendsatasecondgateleadingtotheadjoining
factorysite.

Behindthebigentrancedoor,thereisaporch,surroundedbyarmouredglass,leadingintothehouse'sentrancehallwithawardrobe.Detachedbyacurtainonthe
left,thereisasmallwashroomwithtoilet.Byfurtherenteringtheroom,thehouseopensupinthreedirections:Thebigstairsintotheupperfloorstraightahead,a
smallcorridorbehindthenextdoortotheleftwhichopensuptothehouse'smanagementareaor,aspacioustwostoreyhallangulartotheright.

Whenenteringthehall,youwillbeconductedbyviewingthecockedstairstothediningcornerandtothelivingroom.Lookingback,youwillrealizetheentrancehall
isseparatedfromthechildren'splayingfieldbyahugebuiltincloset,reachinguptotheceiling.Thisareacouldbeseparatedfromthelobbybyacurtain.Natural
lightentersviathebigwindowoverlookingtheplayinggroundtotheSouthandanotherwindowinthediningcornertotheNorth.

Ontheleft,awoodenslidingdoorconnectsthediningcornertoasideboard.Ontheright,thereisaglassdooropeningtotheNorthernterraceandtothegarden.
Lookingoutofthepicturewindow,anoverwhelmingviewintothegardenandthehouse'snorthernterritoryunfolds.

Theamplelivingroomisseparatedfromtheentrancehallbyathreepartslidingwall.Itpassesintoanallroundpanedwintergarden.

Thelivingroomhasgotpicturewindowstotheleftandwindowsforsunlightpenetrationtoitsright.Therearecurtainsofdifferentmaterialsandcolorsagainstthe
windows.Thelongsofaunderthesouthernwindowhingesisanimpressivepieceofinbuiltfurniture.AfreestandingSilesianmarmorealfireplaceondarkbluecut
pilefloorrisesbeforeanunseparatedpicturewindow.Duringtheday,everythingseemstobeinperfectharmonywiththenaturalsurroundings.Bytheclosingthe
draperiesintheevening,theroombecomesintimateandtentlike.

Thewintergardencanbeseparatedfromtheremaininglivingroombyaslidingwallofglass.Thereisasunkenpartitionforflowersandawaterbasin.Inthe
evening,aperforatedplateontheceilingprovidesindirectlightingviatheuseofantireflectivemetaldomesandtransformsthewintergardenintoaroomwhichis
engulfedbyorangelight.Therearethreedoorsleadingontotheterracesoneofwhichisdesignedasanotherglassslidingwall.

Onourtour,weleavethewintergardentocomeoutsidethroughtheglassdoortotheSouthEast.TheSouthernterracewithitsdarkglazedbricksoffersseveral
options:Itispossibletofollowthestairsuptotheupperterraceinfrontoftheparents'bedroomor,tofollowthecorridoralongthewintergardenwindowstothe
Northernterraceor,tofollowanothersetofstairsintothelowersituatedgarden.Therearehandrailsaroundtheupperterrace,theexternalstaircaseandtheterrace
inthegroundfloor,eachreflectingaship'srailings.We'llfollowthestairsdowntothegarden.

Viewingfromthegarden,theclosenessoftheexteriorsofthebuildingdissolvesparticularly,theupperterrace,whichresemblesanavigationbridge.Sincethe
basementlaysopenandthecurvedwallunderthewintergardenretreats,thehouseseemstolosegroundadhesion.Viewingfromthedirectionofthepondfilled
withwater,theoutlineseemstotransformitselfintoahull.

Fromthegardencorridor,viastairsofgranite,weaccessthenorthernterrace.Then,thecorridorinfrontofthelivingroomguidesusthroughtheglassdooraswe
enterintothediningcornerofthehouse.Undertheorangecoloredceilingofthelargestaircase,wemoveupstairstowardstheupperfloortribune.Theshorttribune
providesaccesstoaguestroomwithawalkinclosetandassociatedbathroomontheleft.Ontheright,itpassesoverintoalongcorridorwhichisequippedwith
clothespressescontinuesontotheupperterrace.Theflooringisbluerubbercoveringwithgreytriangularinlaysinfrontofthedoors.Thereareclotheshooksand
walllampsmountedbetweenthetwodoorswiththebedroomsbehind.

Thetwochildren'sbedroomsseemtobeSpartan,equippedwithfoldawayfurniture,providingdifferentutilizationoftheroomsbydayandatnight.Thereisatoilet,a
showerandabathtubbetweenthechildren'sandtheparents'bedrooms,eachseparatedbyadoor.Frombothbathrooms,youmaydirectlystepintotheparents'
bedroom.

Theparents'bedroomisalsousedasalounge.Itisatwinroom.Bedsarearrangedtoallowparentstoseeeachotherornot,acurtainhangingfromtheceiling,
runninginacurvedrailprovidesprivacywhenrequired.Onebedwillawakentosunlightwhiletheotherwillremainintheshadowofafreestandingdashpanel.A
rungladderismountedonthewalltothesocalled"Schrankflur"(wardrobecorridor).Thereisatrapezoidaldaybedinthebaywindowextendingalongtheterrace.
Awindowledge,wideenoughtodoubleasawritingdesk,isplacedoverthedaybed.

Goingtotherightviathecorridorandthelobbystairs,youreachthedoorwhichseparatesthehousingspacefromutilityrooms.Therearedoorstoasmallbathroom
andtothehousemaid'sroomontheleft.Basementstairsareseparatedbyastonewallrailing.Thereisheating,storerooms,laundry,dryingroom,aroomfor

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15/1/2017 STIFTUNGHAUSSCHMINKE>HausSchminke>Architecture>Virtualtour
sewing,adarkroomandaboxroom.Anirondoorallowsaccesstothegardenfromunderthewintergarden.

Climbingfromthebasement,backtothegroundflooragain,youenterintothebroadkitchenabovethestairs,predominantlyequippedwithbuiltincupboardsanda
sideboardwhichisseparatedbyaslidingdoorfromthediningcorner.

Thereisalittlecorridorinfrontoftheutilityrooms.Nexttothecloseddoor,therearetwoslimglasswindowsboththeleftandrighthandsides.Thosearedoorhigh
andprovidenaturallightintothecorridor.Throughthedoor,wegettotheoutside.Crossingtheyardtotheleft,wearrivebackatthestartingpointofourtour,thecar
drivewayentranceandtheKirschalleegate.

AdaptedfromDr.Klaus,Kuervers:"EntschlsselungeinesBildes"(DecodingaPicture),1995

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