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Half-timber house

The extensively renovated farmhouse in Kirchwehren, Germany, from 1910.

Historic charm and modern technology in a half-timber house

Living in style in a half-timber house is one thing. Not having to forego the comfort of cosy warmth is, however, quite another thing. The refurbishment of a 100-year-old, listed farmhouse in Kirchwehren near Hanover, Germany, shows how this can be achieved. Spread over 180 m² and two floors, it offers an unparalleled living space which combines generously sized, open rooms with the charm of a historic structure.

Yet when planning heat distribution, one thing was clear: This project required something other than standard solutions. Conventional tubular and panel radiators were out of the question. In the large, high-ceilinged rooms, either several small or one very large radiator would have been necessary. The first solution would have compromised the room architecture and the second option would have resulted in thermal imbalance in the room due to the punctual heat emission.

And, as such, the only remaining option was surface heating. But what if there isn't a sufficient amount of usable floor space available as the flooring is made of terrazzo marble worth of preservation? And if the structure demands careful system selection and installation in order to avoid subsequent damage such as mould formation?

Four systems under a single roof

The multifaceted radiant heating and cooling system Fonterra has been developed to satisfy precisely these demands. Fonterra Base 15, the studded panel system in the screed, was used for the larger heating loads in the big, ground-level rooms. In the areas where the flooring was to be protected, on the other hand, Fonterra Side Clip 12 was installed on the wall. In the completely new and converted top floor, the prefabricated dry construction system Fonterra Reno presented the best technical and most economic solution. In the large entrance hall Fonterra Top 12 was used below the ceiling which preserves the historical terrazzo flooring and ensures a pleasant room temperature.

Overall, all those involved were unanimous: Even when a house has to be gutted and the technology completely reinstalled, the plans on the drawing table are always confronted with limits as it is not permitted to tamper with the building structure. This means that alongside the specialist expertise of the individual trades, a lot of creativity is also necessary. Here, the combination of expertise and creativity results in housing technology which is just as impressive as the architecture of the building. 

Object Half-timber house
Location Kirchwehren, Germany
Year 2009
Object Type Renovation
Size 180 m2
Area of use Residential
Architect Oelze Architects, Hanover
Planning BPH Ingenieurbüro GbR, Hildesheim
Installation SHK-Meister André Steinfurth, Harsum
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