No Mans Land
In this episode George is joined by the architect Christine Lara Hoff, director of the Berlin based practice Hoff Architects. They discuss No Mans Land, a 19th Century traditional farmhouse, located in former East Germany, that has been given a new lease of life.
Designed in collaboration with Sierra Boaz Cobb, the project is described by Christine as an architectural ‘palimpsest’, that is, something that is reused or altered but still bearing visible traces of its earlier form. (yes, I googled it…) The project is a beautiful example of a sensitive reinterpretation of an old building, but George also really wanted to discuss it on the podcast to find out more about its approach to achieving net-zero energy consumption.
In the interview George talks to Christine about the state-of-the-art sustainable interventions she made on this building, how they have seamlessly been integrated into the home and how she worked to retain the original features of the farmhouse.
At the end of the episode, George asks Christine the three questions he asks all his podcast guests;
– what really annoys her about her home?
– what house has she visited that has really inspired her?
– and, if she could choose anyone to design her a new house, who would she choose?