ᐅ Question about Structural Changes (Removing Walls)

Hello everyone,
I wanted to ask for your opinion on the following situation:
We would like to combine the kitchen, living room, and dining room on the ground floor (currently the parents’ rooms) into one large open space.

According to the plan, the two walls are 10cm (4 inches) and 11.6cm (4.5 inches) thick, which initially doesn’t suggest that they are load-bearing walls.
However, I am wondering if these walls might have some stiffening function, for example, to ensure the building’s torsional rigidity.
Perhaps someone here can assess this.

Unfortunately, we do not have the keys yet and cannot open up the area on site.
There is also no building file available, only the two plans (see attachments).

We have already contacted a structural engineer in parallel.
He is currently on vacation, and we would like to explore some ideas using SweetHome3D, so an initial assessment would be appreciated.

Maybe someone can read the ceiling plan (though it seems to only show the ceiling above the basement – above that is the roof or a wooden beam ceiling with slag).

Best regards,
Matt

Ground floor:

Basement:

Ceiling plan:

Tapping on the surface here would not provide any useful information. Unfortunately, the ceiling plan shown does not contain any helpful details. The wall between the "Living" and "Dining" areas is apparently non-load-bearing (unlike its counterpart in the basement), and the one between the Living area and the Kitchen is likely a gypsum board partition; both suggest the intended option of opening them up or even removing them entirely. However, "non-load-bearing" does not mean "dispensable," as their role in bracing can still be significant. At least one opening (while leaving a strip toward the loggia, or a wide passageway) without the need for load transfer at the top seems feasible in each case.

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Hello 11ant and thank you for your feedback.
We have involved the structural engineer.
I will open the two walls and see what is inside.
The 10cm (5 inches) wall is probably pumice concrete and can then be removed.
The 11.5cm (4.5 inches) wall is likely sand-lime brick. A beam might be needed here, but it won't have to carry much load.
It also depends on the span direction of the top floor ceiling.

That sounds logical to me.
Let's see if I’m allowed to make a hole there :-)

Matt123 schrieb:
Hello 11ant and thank you for your feedback.

Re-engaging in your own thread is naturally better late than never—but I already replied to you three weeks ago (and who knows how many others held back in the meantime because it was so quiet on your side).

Matt123 schrieb:
We have brought the structural engineer on board.

That is a good idea.

Matt123 schrieb:
I will open up the two walls and see what’s inside.
The 10cm (5 inch) wall is probably pumice concrete and can be removed.
The 11.5cm (4.5 inch) wall is likely sand-lime brick. A beam might need to be installed there, but it probably won’t have to carry much load.
It also depends on the direction of the span of the top floor ceiling.

Neither the Amber Room nor woodworm will be inside; I consider opening it up here to be of no real insight.
I assume a wooden ceiling between the ground floor and attic—sand-lime brick for the 11.5cm (4.5 inch) wall would only make sense if the 10cm (5 inch) wall can be fully dispensed with and the beam direction above the living-dining-kitchen area runs parallel to the eaves. I have already mentioned my material assumptions. Culturally, at that time, gypsum board walls regularly replaced the older use of “Rabitz” lath and plaster walls.

Matt123 schrieb:
Sounds logical to me.
Let’s see if I’m allowed to make a hole there :-)

It’s unclear to me exactly where you want to make that hole—it sounds cryptic.

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https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/

Hello everyone,

Today, I drilled core holes into both walls.
They both appear to be made of pumice (at least that’s what it looks like to me) and are 13.5–14 cm (5.3–5.5 inches) thick, including plaster.
I’ve also sent the pictures to the structural engineer and am curious to hear their opinion.

Best regards,
Matt123

Matt123 schrieb:
I drilled core holes today in both walls. [...] I also sent the pictures to the structural engineer and I'm curious to see what he says about it.

To quote Grandpa Willy, a friend's son's grandfather: "as unnecessary as a goiter."

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https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/