ᐅ Unvarnished criticism wanted! Floor plan 160 sqm

Created on: 30 Jan 2019 01:33
J
Jule-2501
J
Jule-2501
30 Jan 2019 01:33
Hello everyone!

We seem to be going in circles with our floor plan design!
I’m starting to feel dizzy – the kids are growing up and are actually more excited about a carousel in the garden... Although our ideas are pretty clear, we’re not finding the optimal solution.
We’d really appreciate your general feedback and maybe some suggestions to the questions below.


Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 670 m2 (7,220 sq ft)
Slope: yes, maximum elevation difference 3.5 m (11.5 ft)
Floor area ratio (FAR): 0.4
Gross floor area ratio: 0.5
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of storeys: 1.5
Roof type: Gable roof, 30–40 degrees
Architectural style: modern
Orientation: free
Maximum height / limits: 10.5 m (34.4 ft)

Client Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: modern gable roof
Basement, storeys: basement plus 1.5 storeys
Number of occupants, ages: male 38, female 37, one male toddler, one more child planned (female)
Space requirements on ground floor: kitchen (half-open or around the corner), storage pantry, small shower bathroom, wardrobe niche, guest room (min. 12 m2 (130 sq ft)), living/dining room (min. 40 m2 (430 sq ft))

Space requirements on upper floor: 2 children’s bedrooms min. 15 m2 (160 sq ft) each, master bedroom with dressing room, if possible with connection to bathroom, bedroom separated from children’s rooms by hallway or bathroom
Office: as family room / guest room
Guests per year: guest room is a must-have
Open or closed layout: rather closed (kitchen with sliding door or half wall?), staircase definitely separated from living area
Conservative or modern construction: classic with modern elements (windows? light bands, shallow roof pitch, no large roof overhang, color scheme gray/white)
Open kitchen, cooking island: half-open, a small breakfast bar is a must-have
Number of dining seats: table for 6 regularly, up to 17 for celebrations
Fireplace: yes
Balcony, roof terrace: facing north because of great view
Garage, carport: carport with 2 parking spaces

Additional wishes / special features
- Covered entrance (L-shape), front door with narrow side panel
- Platform stairs with risers
- Entrance should be on the east side
- Largest windows (floor-to-ceiling, possibly sliding door) on the ground floor at the northwest corner of the house (despite sun exposure, because of the view)

House Design
Planner: planner from a construction company
What do you like in particular? Why?: All rooms were accommodated in the floor plan
What don’t you like? Why?
On the ground floor: the solution for the pantry, guest bathroom and wardrobe niche.
In addition, the living room feels a bit too small.
On the upper floor: we think the bedroom and dressing room are somewhat too large, and the bathroom is too small (we want a T-shaped layout).

If you had to give up something, on which details / built-ins
- You could give up: bay window, platform stairs
- You could not give up: guest bathroom with shower on ground floor and guest room on ground floor

Why does the current design look the way it does?
We mixed many designs (prefab houses found online)
Which wishes were implemented by the architect?
Entrance on the east side, large windows facing north / northwest, all rooms accommodated in the floor plan

What is the most important / fundamental question about the floor plan, summarized in 130 characters?

Is the natural light on the upper floor sufficient? Would you consider “loopholes” appropriate? Or are skylights necessary? Is the bathroom too small for a T-layout? Do you find the bedroom and dressing area noticeably too large?
We’d like a small terrace in front of the house to enjoy some sun. Do you think an exit from the kitchen makes sense or is feasible? (The slope is not as steep as shown in the picture.)

How would you solve the area with guest bathroom, wardrobe corner and pantry? Is the shower bathroom too small and pantry too big? (Ideally, guest room, guest bathroom and wardrobe niche would be close together in one “corner” of the house, but that’s not a must.)
How would you enlarge the living room? We might drop the bay window to the northwest and perhaps add one facing north instead. What do you think?
How would you cover the front door? An extension? L-shape canopy? The carport probably won’t be built for a few years...
Floor plan of an apartment: two rooms, bedroom/dressing room, bathroom, hallway and balcony

Black and white floor plan of an apartment with living room, kitchen, hallway, office, WC.


Thanks so much for your help!

Modern, white single-family house with black windows, green lawn and tree


Site plan: green plot with trees and a central, concealed building.
11ant30 Jan 2019 02:15
Oh dear. The potential for harsh criticism here is really huge. It becomes obvious even to non-experts by the time you reach the bedroom, but overall, this is not a proper floor plan—it’s a highly careless jumble of walls.
Jule-2501 schrieb:
Whose design is this from: Planner at a construction company

... I would have guessed that myself.
Jule-2501 schrieb:
We combined many designs (prefabricated houses from the internet)

... Frankenstein-style, I would say judging by the result.
Jule-2501 schrieb:
All rooms were fitted into the floor plan

... that is, euphemistically, the diagnosis. Has this been harsh enough so far?
Jule-2501 schrieb:
Large windows facing north or northwest

Why exactly there?

The blacked-out area on the site plan suggests an earlier version of the floor plan. Would you like to share that? – I “fear” it was at least somewhat better.

Especially when trying to include many dream houses at once, you need a knowledgeable—and contradicting!—architect. If you approach a contractor’s draftsman with the same brief, the result will at best be a botched hybrid like this.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
H
haydee
30 Jan 2019 07:12
3.5 m (11.5 ft) is decent

Why don’t you use the basement as living space? It has direct access to the garden.

Is there a plan with contour lines?

Otherwise, I agree with 11ant
S
Snowside
30 Jan 2019 08:05
Three things that immediately stand out to me:

1) Four windows or glazed doors in the bedroom. It would be too much hassle to close them all before going to sleep.

2) The shower on the ground floor is a nightmare.

3) In the picture of the house, you can see so many different types of doors and windows that the overall combination looks chaotic.
kaho67430 Jan 2019 08:09
Without a detailed site plan, it’s difficult to assess. Do you have something precise with a few elevation points and measurements? Otherwise, I would have expected something like this:


Site plan of a building plot with buildings, trees, north arrow, and red area in the center.
N
Niloa
30 Jan 2019 08:22
What immediately caught my attention:
The bathroom on the ground floor doesn’t seem to work as planned. Where are the toilet and sink supposed to go?
A pantry without direct access from the kitchen is, to me, not really a pantry but more of a storage room.
Do you really want the kitchen designed like this? I see long walking distances and awkward dead corners.
How is the coat niche supposed to be furnished? I don’t think it will work.
The bedroom is huge, but the bed is squeezed into a corner. Does that fit with real dimensions? A left-side sleeper will have to squeeze around quite a bit. How are the wardrobes supposed to be arranged?