In a village and in a town A flat is more than a sum of rooms. A house is more than a sum of flats. A farmstead is more than a sum of houses. A village is more than a sum of farmsteads. A town is more than a sum of villages. Derzbachhof is the oldest existing listed farmhouse in Munich. In fact, the entire property alongside the road is part of a protected ensemble of buildings in the village centre of Forstenried. To the rear, the plot borders onto agricult­ural land that is not permitted for development. The fully refurbished farmhouse and barn, built in 1751, contains four rental units; the new build to the rear of the plot includes 17 owner-occupied apartments of different sizes. In terms of urban design, the new apartments are all set below a single roof like in a large timber barn. Each layout is unique. Both the colours and materials of the addition are based on those of the historic farmhouse. The former parlour, barely two metres in height with a tiled stove and kitchen, and the communal space up above can be used by the residents as well as the surrounding community for a variety of events. The new Derzbachhof is the active interface to the village: the residents live in a countryside community and only a few minutes on the underground away from Marienplatz in Munich’s city centre.