This narrow rental home, nestled in Oberaudorf — a village in Bavaria, Germany — is the perfect place to refuel and find inspiration. Architect Markus Eck designed the house, named Gut Feeling, as a green vacation home suitable for two people. With solar panels, which produce more electricity than the home uses, and a heat recovery system that circulates fresh air, the home embraces sustainability while keeping guests comfortable all year long.
The house exemplifies simplicity using natural building materials. On the ground floor, there is a small garage, a kitchen, a dining area and a living room. On the second floor, there is a bedroom and bathroom. The third floor houses additional space for guests to sleep and a freestanding bathtub. Both the interior and exterior of the home are clad in timber. In order to create more space, the architect included a terrace on two sides of the building. Residents may also enjoy outstanding views thanks to the large sliding doors that lead out to the terraces.
Eck also included sustainable features, such as solar panels, which produce more electricity than the home uses, and a heat pump, which collects any extra heat in two large buffers. When the sky is cloudy, the home uses 100 percent green energy provided by a hydroelectric power station at a nearby inn. To maintain a steady, comfortable temperature and allow fresh air to circulate year-round, the home relies on built-in sensors and a heat recovery system.
The self-sufficient Gut Feeling house produces more electricity than it uses [Inhabitat]