Germany

The drama of Pool Leber Architekten's Villa U in the German countryside

Munich-based Pool Leber Architekten was set up in 2011 by Isabella Leber and Martin Pool. The team approaches every commission in a ‘case-specific’ way, which in turn influences their choices of techniques, materials, forms and structures – eschewing the idea of a signature aesthetic style. Villa U is one of the latest residential offerings in a smartly growing portfolio. Set in the Gräfelfing countryside outside Munich, the structure was conceived as a single, solid, brick block, with three long, distinctive openings and a double height space inside carved out to add drama, spatial luxury and a sense of scale.