In Alsfeld, a historic building has been given a new lease on life: Villa Raab was renovated under the direction of the architectural firm Weppler-Jungermann. Building systems manufacturer SAKRET played a crucial role in the project.
Exemplary Renovation of Villa Raab in Alsfeld in the Spirit of Historic Preservation
The stately villa, built in the French palace style during the Gründerzeit era, was to undergo a comprehensive renovation in accordance with historic preservation guidelines after years of standing vacant and beginning to fall into disrepair—in retrospect, an extraordinarily successful project by the entrepreneurial couple Ralf and Tanja Bohn. Under the direction of the architectural firm Weppler-Jungermann, Sachs Baudekoration from Lauterbach, Hesse, and the historic preservation authorities, partners from a wide range of fields were coordinated: SAKRET as the system manufacturer of the necessary building materials and a partner for plastering, painting, and tiling work, Scheerschmidt and Schneider (Stadtallendorf) for the tiling work, and the specialty firms Golem (Sieversdorf) and Replicata from Freiburg recreated the historic décor and produced reproductions of historical originals.
The interplay of magnificent Neo-Baroque with the then-modern Art Nouveau style can be seen and felt everywhere, both inside and out. Photo: © sakret.de
To repair and replace historic tiles both indoors and outdoors, they had to be crafted using period-appropriate materials and expertly installed. These tiles had to be able to withstand extreme temperature fluctuations while also being waterproof, frost-resistant, and highly durable. Photo: © sakret.de
Valuable historic tiles, including some from Villeroy + Boch, in the hallways and stairwells were almost completely preserved. Photo: © sakret.de
The round arches of the vaulted ceiling (approx. 120 cm in span) were plastered with SAKRET MAP-SL+ machine-applied exterior plaster. This material could be applied and troweled to the required thickness of up to 5 cm in a single coat. In the basement rooms, SAKRET KIP // KPM I lime interior plaster was also used.
After standing vacant for years and beginning to fall into disrepair, this architectural gem was comprehensively restored true to its original form by a team of selected experts and specialists. Photo: © sakret.de
A Successful Team Effort
The renovation of Villa Raab can now be considered a prime example of the synergy between dedicated contractors and rigorous historic preservation standards. Lead architect Jochen Weppler also spoke highly of the success of this collaboration: “A truly successful team effort that allowed us to meet even the most complex requirements of historic preservation in the best possible way.”
Photo: © sakret.de
The shared goal: to restore the property to its original condition
The property’s special value lay in its numerous original interior and exterior details. These included, for example, the magnificent exterior facades with their rich ornamentation of decorative elements and moldings, as well as the stucco cornices and friezes in the main rooms. The valuable, historic tile flooring in the hallways and stairwells was also completely preserved, with only a few missing sections. To meet the requirements for materials in the areas of plastering and tile installation, SAKRET was able to offer system-based product solutions that—in accordance with historic preservation regulations—ensure a long service life. These included, for example, materials such as felt plaster, lime interior plaster, and marble-based fine-finish putty.
Fortunately, the villa remained largely in its original condition, enabling a faithful reconstruction of the house with its numerous moldings, stucco cornices, and friezes. Photo © sakret.de
The Exterior Work
The overall condition of the building required extensive preparatory work: Cracks running through parts of the masonry had to be grouted, and many of the stone balcony railings had to be removed for restoration. After cleaning the entire facade, it was plastered with SAKRET KAM adhesive and reinforcing mortar.
Next, SAKRET KAM felt plaster (0.8 mm grain size) was applied as a decorative topcoat. For smooth surfaces such as building corners, walls, window surrounds, etc., SAKRET MFS Fine Marble Filler was used. This made it possible to fill unevenness of up to 1 cm in a single pass.
The property’s special value lies in its numerous interior and exterior details that have been preserved in their original state. For example, the magnificent exterior facades with their rich ornamentation. Photo copyright: © sakret.de
The Renovation of the Interior
Inside the villa, the entire wall plaster had to be removed due to moisture that had penetrated the structure over decades.
SAKRET KIP lime interior plaster—awarded the Blue Angel label for its environmental compatibility—was used as the base coat. To plaster the old brick walls, SAKRET KIP was applied in two passes, wet-on-wet, using the G4 plastering machine, to a layer thickness of up to 7 cm.
After the drying period, the wall surfaces were completely finished with SAKRET KIP Multi Interior Lime Plaster KPM I, 6 mm thick, with an alkali-resistant SAKRET mesh embedded within to prevent cracking. The final coat was applied using SAKRET Edelfilz Plaster EFP 0.5 mm.
The interior spaces required extensive preparation and planning, as not only did the wall and ceiling designs need to be restored true to the original, but new installation and piping systems also had to be installed to meet modern standards. Photo: © sakret.de
The special value of the property also lay in the numerous design details on the walls and ceilings. These were mostly removed and then reinstalled after restoration. Photo: © sakret.de
Details on Tile Work
SAKRET Universal Primer UG and SAKRET Special Primer SG were used as a primer on mineral plasters, concrete, and cement screed, as well as for priming cement-based building boards. For waterproofing damp and wet areas, SAKRET Alternative Waterproofing AA was recommended as a tested system component.
SAKRET Flex Tile Adhesive FFKs and the multifunctional SAKRET Euroflex EF flexible mortar enabled efficient tile installation. Finally, the fast-setting SAKRET Flex Grout FFM was used to grout the tiles.
In Alsfeld, a historic building has been given a new lease on life: Under the direction of the architectural firm Weppler-Jungermann, Villa Raab was renovated. System manufacturer SAKRET played a decisive role in the project.
