Zurich-based firm Appels Architekten has designed an open, simplistic family home in Bavaria, Germany, composed of wooden cubes. 

Called “House by the Lake,” the home balances privacy and spaces for gathering. As detailed by the architects, this configuration allows residents to retreat or participate in communal living at any time. 

All of the private rooms are housed within a sculpture of wooden volumes. Ample open space is made available both horizontally and vertically, drawing light into the house and offering views into the garden and surrounding environment. These features are maximized through the house’s generous ceiling height, light interiors, and expansive windows. 

All of the private rooms are housed within a sculpture of wooden volumes. Ample open space is made available both horizontally and vertically, drawing light into the house and offering views into the garden and surrounding environment. These features are maximized through the house’s generous ceiling height, light interiors, and expansive windows. 

The home’s fanning roof counterbalances the surrounding terrain with dark wooden slats covering the cubes. The home's windows disappear behind translucent folding shutters that can be opened for an unobstructed view. On the ground floor, the windows can be completely hidden in wall pockets. The kitchen can also be opened to the outside. 

The use of wood allowed for a reduction in the proportion of non-renewable primary energy and carbon dioxide emissions during construction. It also allowed for off-site prefabrication, contributing to a more sustainable construction process.

The home’s material usage allows for an extended lifecycle, and its modular composition enables the reuse and recycling of the used building components.