“Ways of Life” was a call for proposals to several international architects, initiated by Christoph Hesse and Neeraj Bhatia, to design houses in the idyllic Scheid peninsula in the rural region of North Hesse, Germany. This collaborative project invited proposals for homes that reflect “new ways of life,” described as spaces for both living and working. The call, made before the pandemic, anticipated the growing need for domestic environments conducive to remote work outside of urban centers, reimagining life in rural settings and reducing dependence on overcrowded, often stressful cities.
Our design was informed by the understanding that the distinction between home and work has never truly existed. A prime example is domestic care and reproductive labor, which are performed at home but are often overlooked as forms of work, despite being among the most crucial activities sustaining our societies. Historically, the separation of living and working spaces has only been present for the last 200 years, and even then, primarily in urban areas of the Western world.
In response, we analyzed various scenarios within the domestic sphere, focusing not on predefined functions of spaces but on the activities and emotions a space can evoke through its relationship to the ground, its degree of openness or enclosure, or its volumetric intention. We developed a design tool in the form of a chart that allowed us to illustrate, in small sketches, the possible situations within this living environment. From this analysis, we selected six key spaces and developed each through collages: Connection with Neighbors – Self – Communal & Collective – Semi-individuality – Temporariness – Family.
By moving away from the instinctive practice of labeling spaces according to predetermined functions and setting aside the notion of a house as merely a collection of utilitarian areas, we were able to address what we believe is an essential question: How can an architectural object serve as a platform for individuals to create their own way of life?
Other architects participating in the project include Anna Heringer (Germany), Christoph Hesse Architects (Germany), Dogma (Belgium), The Open Workshop (USA/Canada), and Pezo von Ellrichshausen (Chile), among others.
