Apartment Ita Res Apartment

There is a Renais­sance patrician house dating from 1590 in the centre of Biberach an der Riß. It fea­tures stucco cei­lings, his­toric doors and a spatial layout that has evolved over the cen­turies. And there is the decision not to cover all this up, but to use it as the framework for a under­stated con­tem­porary design. All altera­tions respectfully com­plement the existing structure whilst remaining con­fi­dently reco­g­nisable.

A key part of the concept behind the apartment, which accom­mo­dates up to 8 people, is reuse. Existing fur­niture, mate­rials and fix­tures were retained whe­rever pos­sible in the three bed­rooms and com­munal areas, recom­bined and placed within a con­tem­porary context. Thus, antique fur­niture meets con­tem­porary art, gra­phics and objects designed by the two founders of Ita Res them­selves.

Why this fits so well with Biberach of all places becomes clear when exploring the town, whose market square is home to the patrician house dating from 1590. The town was a Free Imperial City from 1281 onwards and has a long tra­dition of allowing see­mingly con­tra­dictory ele­ments to coexist: fol­lowing the Peace of West­phalia, Biberach became one of the few ‘parity imperial cities’. This meant there was a Catholic-Pro­testant admi­nis­tration on an equal footing, and the two deno­mi­na­tions also came tog­ether in the churches. St Martin’s Church remains to this day the oldest Simul­taneum still in use in Germany – two deno­mi­na­tions hold ser­vices here. This, too, is a form of coexis­tence that has long been prac­tised in Biberach.

Inno­vation can flourish under such con­di­tions, as demons­trated by the Ita Res design project behind the apartment. It stems from an expe­ri­mental idea by Florian Bie­chele and Michael Hübner. They drew on the expertise of the family-run business Bie­chele Stahl- und Eisen­waren – whose origins date back to 1634 – and used this as a foun­dation to develop a coll­ection of steel home access­ories. They also produce bespoke designs in col­la­bo­ration with artists and museums. In this way, the project not only links the history of a house with the present day, but also the history of a family business with con­tem­porary design con­cepts.

What to do

Biberach’s market square, with its patrician houses, is one of the most beautiful in southern Germany. All around: Upper Swabia with its Baroque Route, Lake Federsee and the walking and cycling routes through the Upper Swabian Pre-Alps. Lake Constance and Ulm are just a short drive away.

Why we like this house

Because the heritage of a Renaissance patrician house is taken seriously here – as something that has a voice of its own. And because the younger generation here is carrying on a long-established family business in a way that ensures it has a future.

This house is great for

For travellers seeking something special – and who fancy immersing themselves in the town’s history. For couples, families and groups of friends; for anyone who wants not just to look at architecture, art and craftsmanship, but to experience them. Dogs are welcome.

Sustainability

It’s easy to get here by public transport, and there’s a charging point for electric vehicles nearby. Shopping facilities are also available in the immediate vicinity. The building is connected to the Biberach local heating network.

Details

Availability calendar

The calendar shows the current availability of the accommodation. On days with white background the accommodation is still available. On days with dark gray background the accommodation is not available.

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