Gisbert Pöppler Revives a Historic Villa in the German Countryside with Artisanal Finesse
Words by Yatzer
Location
Hagen, Germany
Gisbert Pöppler Revives a Historic Villa in the German Countryside with Artisanal Finesse
Words by Yatzer
Hagen, Germany
Hagen, Germany
Location
When it comes to ambitious renovations, it could be said that few projects have so deftly been able to combine such architectural sensitivity with playful modernity as Garden Home, German architect Gisbert Pöppler's latest masterstroke. Tucked away in Hagen, at the edge of the Ruhr area, this 1920s villa presented an alluring yet formidable challenge: an exterior bursting with historic charm wrapped around an interior that, after decades of misguided updates, had lost its soul. Tasked initially with a modest refresh of colours and furnishings, Pöppler and his team soon realized that true rejuvenation would demand a full-scale, artisanal reinvention—one that would embrace both the house’s storied past and the needs of its vibrant present. "Our idea was to restore the villa to its former glory," Pöppler explains, "working with craftsmen who were artisans in their field."
Photography by Ollie Tomlinson.
Built in 1921 by the Ludwig brothers, the villa is part of the Hohenhagen garden city, a visionary experiment initiated by industrialist and art patron Karl Ernst Osthaus whose aim was to reunite art and craftsmanship in the face of rampant industrialization. With its clinker brick facade and leafy parkland setting, the villa is a brick-and-mortar love letter to that ethos—when Pöppler first crossed its threshold however, it became immediately apparent that this romantic notion had very much been tempered by reality.
"When we arrived, we were simultaneously impressed and shocked at once," he recalls. While the façade exuded character with its misfired bricks, the interiors had suffered a tragic fate: burnt out during World War II and later refurbished in the 1980s with all the charm of a discount DIY catalogue. Polystyrene mouldings, misplaced staircases, gold recessed lighting—a litany of poor choices that demanded more than just a cosmetic rescue. Though originally commissioned to simply refresh the colour palette and furnishings, Pöppler's honest assessment and the client's open-mindedness soon transformed the project into a full renovation.
Photography by Ollie Tomlinson.
Photography by Ollie Tomlinson.
Photography by Ollie Tomlinson.
Photography by Ollie Tomlinson.
Photography by Ollie Tomlinson.
Photography by Ollie Tomlinson.
What emerged was a completely reimagined layout, a choreography of spaces designed both for everyday life and grand receptions. The trio of smaller rooms on the ground floor were dramatically merged into one sweeping "garden hall," to accommodate gatherings with the capacity to effortlessly flow into the lush outdoors. Arched doorways replaced rigid thresholds, lending the interiors a rhythmic softness, while a striking, tunnel-like staircase clad in pink linoleum offered a whimsical, almost cinematic ascent to the private quarters above. Subtler but no less effective slanted window reveals were introduced, inviting sunlight deeper into the formerly dim rooms, along the re-opening of a long concealed oval oculus.
As is his signature, Pöppler approached the colour scheme with the gusto of a true master. "Trust Mr. Pöppler, it will be good," the client reassured the painter who initially balked at the improbable trio of light blue, crimson red and mustard yellow in the main living room, drawing room and connecting hallway. And good it is. Throughout the house, colours shift and converse, creating an atmosphere that feels at once composed and joyfully unpredictable. From the lemon-yellow kitchen, and olive and mint-painted children’s bedroom to the red lacquer vanity unit in the bathroom—the latter paired with a glazed lava stone counter-top in baby blue—every hue tells a story, each more irresistible than the last.
Photography by Ollie Tomlinson.
Photography by Ollie Tomlinson.
Photography by Ollie Tomlinson.
The same spirit of craftsmanship successfully permeates every surface and fixture. Collaborating with a network of master artisans, Pöppler introduced robust terrazzo floors flecked with purple, yacht-inspired wooden ceilings with a lively wave-like texture, and custom elements including a block of Greek Golden Spider marble, meticulously milled into a washbasin and wall panels in the guest WC.
Furniture choices have been used to amplify this material richness, again, to great effect: iconic designs by Cassina and Pierre Augustin Rose rub shoulders with bespoke pieces from Pöppler’s own collection including the Baba Chair, a curvaceous invitation to lounge; the monumental Belenus 320 Dining Table, an homage to the Celtic sun god; and the whimsical Walker Tumbler Table, designed to cradle a single drink at just the right height beside your chair.
Photography by Ollie Tomlinson.
Photography by Ollie Tomlinson.
Photography by Ollie Tomlinson.
Beyond the interiors, the spirit of craftsmanship has been extended outdoors, with a natural pool that resembles an enchanted pond, a vegetable garden buzzing with life and a verdant park designed by landscape architect Manuel Wehrle—each an expression of the project's holistic vision. When the work was complete, the clients celebrated not with a glamorous launch party but rather with a heartfelt gathering for every craftsperson involved in the renovation, a truly fitting ending to a project that reaffirms, with quiet conviction, that true beauty lies not only in what we build, but how we build
Photography by Ollie Tomlinson.
Photography by Ollie Tomlinson.
Photography by Ollie Tomlinson.
Photography by Ollie Tomlinson.