This is the narrow pathway, the Gang, in front of my house. I wouldn’t call it a street. It is very quite here, because it is a dead end. The street is also located in an area of the city center that is not as pretty as the other areas. So we don’t get bothered by annoying tourists.

The people living next to me are unique. They all decided to live in a Ganghaus. Beside the size and the problems with moving furnitures into the house there is also the drawback, that these houses are very clairaudient. Therefore you are living very close to your neighbors in any way. This forms some special bond. If there is a party, everyone is invited, somehow. Even if I prefer solitude, I like it here.

The „Gang“

One of the five churches

More Rain

Street close to my House

Flowers

Flowers

Street close to my House

Winter Time

Winter Time

This is the „East wing“ of my old house. I lived there only for two years. I never completed all ideas before I moved to the city center.

Entrance

Japanese Style Room

Japanese Style Room

I am living in the city center of Luebeck. An island dominated by ancient houses and 5 really big churches. One specialty of living in Luebeck may be the so called „Ganghaus“. These are very tiny houses in second row. The pathway (called „Gang“), to theses houses is usually very narrow and leads thru the main house in front. It is said that in ancient times there was a law, that the entance gate has to be big enough, so that coffins can pass thru. Indeed, it is just wide enough for a bicycle.

2nd Floor „West Wing“

2nd Floor „East Wing“

2nd Floor „East Wing“

Ground Floor

The house I am living in has a groud plot of 4,5 x 4,5m. Not big. But it has three levels and no wasted space. My live style is somehow influenced by my interest for Japan. I don’t have a bed, just a futon. This really saves space. Beside that, when I moved in, I was not able to move the bed upstairs. The stairway was too narrow and too step.

I don’t have a wall cupboard; not enough space. I don’t have a suite in the living room. There was no way to get it into the house (beside disassemble it and move it upstairs in tiny pieces). This doesn’t bother me. I have no need for it anyway.

Kitchen, small but functional

Bathroom

Kitchen and bath room are small and functional. If you live in a Ganghaus you start to reduce everything to the basics. You only have things you really use. You will be surprised how few things are really necessary in a kitchen.

The bathroom is also small, even tiny. It is implemented below the stairs. This concept is very space efficient. And I have a full size bath tub, while all other houses in the Gang only have a shower cubicle. I also succeeded in converting it into a tiny onsen (without the sulfur smell). Last but not least, this is a man’s world. Therefore I have a proper fridge:

Improved Fridge