Mrs Frankel has built a cosy eco-friendly home in her hometown in the British county of East Hampshire. She wanted a contemporary open-plan living space and chose Baufritz to help her create it.

Surrounded by a large garden, the house reflects nature with a façade that is all natural, made of organic and mineral plaster. The upper floors have Rondo wood planking which matches Mrs Frankel’s welcoming wooden entrance area and wooden front door. White bow fronts shape the building and a gabled roof and varying window sizes provide the house with a certain charm.

Elegant wooden floorboards and wood-beamed ceilings contribute to the cosy atmosphere. The rooms are very bright thanks to their large glass windows. The open living and dining area is very stylish and comfortable, with large windows to the garden bringing nature within reach. A large master bedroom suite is on the first floor alongside two children’s bedrooms and a guestroom.

The German builder Baufritz provides an electro-smog coating, solvent-free and thoroughly tested materials such as non-toxic paints, unpolluted wood from spruce and larch and eco-friendly finishes for a sustainable wooden home, a low-energy passive house. To capture passive solar energy and to avoid heat radiation to the north, the architect maximized the windows facing south and west and reduced the number and size of north facing windows. At the same time, he planned a natural insulation in the roof; the solar radiation slowly picks up high outdoor temperatures so that the underlying living rooms are not heated up uncomfortably. All rooms have a floor heating system.

Opting for a pre-fabricated house meant that Mrs Frankel did not have to take care of the project very much herself. Working with German builders and skilled professionals turned out to be unique. The main difference between a Baufritz home and a conventional UK build is the superb quality. The components are fully recyclable– strictly following the philosophy of cradle to cradle.