The White House

Set in the green centre of Leipzig, a city that in 2015 celebrates the thousandth anniversary of its foundation, the Haus Boscha residence stands out for its pure aesthetics and compact volumes. The neighbourhood boasts a wealth of architecture dating from the Gründerzeit, the period in the nineteenth century which saw the rise of the German entrepreneurial bourgeoisie. Although recently constructed, the project spearheaded by the practice Die Kollegen is modernist in inspiration and displays references to Piet Mondrian in the composition of its surfaces. The Leipzig-based architecture, interior design and lighting design firm is led by Mario Hein and Holger Seidel, who work with an outstanding team of young designers. With its total white volume interrupted by bold vertical glazed openings, airy balconies and niche-like terraces, Haus Boscha can be described as a sculptural building, a definition underscored by the presence of projecting façade elements that create plays of solids and voids in the perimeter walls. The total surface area of 1,000 square metres is divided up over four floors and hosts two apartments – one of 550 sq.m and the other of 450 sq.m – which serve as family homes. The design of the exteriors in turn provided the inspiration for the bright and highly unconventional interiors (some rooms reach a height of 12 metres), featuring suspended connecting stairs, large living spaces, windows offering unexpected views onto the city, meticulously designed wellness and fitness areas, and large balconies and terraces. Special attention has been devoted to the choice of materials, which are combined in a harmonious juxtaposition of concrete, glass and wood. While the colour concrete features extensively on the entrance hall floor (Neutra collection from Casamood/Florim), the transparencies and neutral colours of glass return in the mosaic décor of the bathroom (Vetro collection, also from Casamood/Florim). The floors consist of long warm coloured wood strips, while the staircase steps and banisters are also made of wood, as is the structure of the sauna and some of the designer furnishings. The spacious, well-lit bathrooms, complete with large freestanding bathtub and relaxation corners, are warm, inviting places devoted to personal care and well-being. The colour white dominates everywhere, enveloping the exterior walls like a pale skin and magnifying the effect of sunlight in the interiors.
The overall impression of great fluidity is generated by open passageways extending from one room to another, by recesses in the walls and routes that branch out both horizontally and vertically. The kitchen opens onto the dining area, which is separated from the terrace only by a glazed wall. Natural light floods in through the large windows, which in turn offer views onto the surrounding urban greenery in a privileged relationship between interior and exterior.