Farmworker's House

Designed to meet broad housing needs, the house was built simply with local materials like red brick and craftsmanship. This type of self-sufficient home shaped the cultural landscape of northern Germany in the 1960s.

When we discovered the house in 2020, much of its original simplicity had been lost to modern renovations—plastic roof extensions, shutters, and painted windows had distorted its appearance.

The house was intended to become a weekend retreat. Instead of making radical changes, we opted to preserve its modest exterior and highlight the subtle local craftsmanship. Together with local artisans, we restored the house to its original, simple beauty. The fine roof detailing is a great example of our subtle approach. Today, the house blends seamlessly into the landscape of fields, meadows, and the nearby dike of the Wadden Sea National Park.

The interior design concept was based on the changing seasons. Weather conditions on the East Frisian North Sea coast can be extreme: warm and airy in summer, wet, cold, and windy in winter. The light-colored floors, rough walls, and minimalist furnishings turn the house into a bright, sun-filled retreat in the summer. In winter, the linen curtains throughout the house and the wood stove provide a sense of warmth and coziness.

The ground floor unfolds like a snail shell: from the entrance, one enters the kitchen, which leads to the dining room and then into the living room. The kitchen is custom-made with pine fronts and a tiled countertop featuring tiles from Winckelmans. On the countertop is the Nidus lamp, with a base made from a core drill that was extracted during the construction work on the house.

The living room is the quietest place on the ground floor. Besides the Nidus sofa and the Le Corbusier chaise longue with a linen cover, there is only a shelf with books and a gallery wall. It’s the perfect spot to spend rainy afternoons reading.

Art is hung discreetly throughout the house. Only in the living room does it play a special role: there are works from the collection of the Nidus founders: graphics by Hubert Kiecol, ‚The Pill‘ by Nina Ahlers, a print by Hilli Hassemer, and drawings by Heinz Vollenbroich, as well as a photograph by Peter Miller. A few of our own works are also included.

The attic opens up to the ridge, with the roof beams visible. Pine fixtures line the slanted roof, and natural materials dominate throughout. This is consistent with all Nidus projects. There is a wooden piece titled ‚The Wanderer‘ by Peter Ripka.

The bedroom is one of the largest rooms in the house, and the understated furnishings create a sense of calm and relaxation. The small paper artwork is by the Berlin-based artist Laura Sachs.

The bathroom is divided into two rooms: one with a sink and toilet, and the other with a shower and bathtub. Here too, the roof opens up to the ridge. The bathrooms are lined with tiles from Winckelmans, the same material as the kitchen countertop. The fixtures are by Dornbracht, and the bathtub is by Laufen.

Simplicity and purity take center stage in this house: the sinks are simple ceramic basins mounted on a tiled backsplash. The mirror is framed in oiled oak.

The staircase leading to the attic is new. The closed side panel forms a small workspace at the top, visually connecting both levels.

For each project, Nidus designs a piece of furniture. This wall cabinet was built for the small hallway: it fits into even the tiniest space and allows belongings to disappear elegantly.

In not too long, the grass will grow back up to the house: a red house on a green meadow. When the house was purchased, the stable and the living quarters were connected by a small corrugated metal passage—now the two beautifully proportioned structures shine individually while still forming a cohesive unit.

The few changes to the facade, such as a sealed opening, will still be discernible in the future due to the cross-bonding pattern.

Read our essay on the history and transformation of the former farmworker's house in East Friesland.

With the Friesland Brickhouse Nidus found a true hidden gem. This petite and thus far, plain, a little neglected farmer's house turned out to be an absolute treasure chest. It is precisely its unpretentious and straight forward design and petiteness that makes this cosy house feel out of this world and special. What could have matched this project better than a true little treasure chest?

Check out the little treasure chest