ᐅ 160 sqm Urban Villa with Side Entrance – Can It Get Any Better?
Created on: 17 Feb 2019 21:28
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bafische
Hello dear forum members,
we have been working on our floor plan for a while.
We are generally quite satisfied but are still looking for potential improvements.
Do you have any alternatives? Please give us honest feedback for the next steps. Any criticism is welcome.
Here is the oriented site plan, followed by the elevations and floor plans...
Development plan / restrictions
Plot size: 671 sqm (7220 sq ft)
Slope: none
Site coverage ratio: 0.15 (max. house footprint 100.6 sqm (1083 sq ft))
Floor area ratio: 0.3
Building envelope, building line, and boundary: see site plan
Required parking spaces: 2 (hence double garage, minimum garage parking space width/length 2.4/5 m (8/16 ft))
Number of floors: 2
Roof type: no flat roof
Maximum buildable area including ancillary structures: 150.9 sqm (site coverage ratio 0.15 + 50%)
Owners’ requirements
Architectural style, roof form, building type: urban villa, chosen for storage options in the attic and maximum living space usage on the given footprint
Basement, floors: no basement (no budget), 2 floors above ground due to development plan
Number of people, ages: 2 adults, 2 children (10 and 6 years)
Office/guest room: family use, some office use, guest room with 5 overnight guests per year
Modern construction: yes
Open kitchen, kitchen island: yes
Fireplace: no
Balcony, roof terrace: planned later on garage roof
Garage, carport: double garage, more for workshops than parking
House design
Planner: myself, using Sweet Home
What do we like most? Spacious ground floor, large children’s rooms, large entrance area, sightline from entrance to kitchen
What do we dislike? The long way from the garage to the entrance, therefore a secondary door to the utility room, location of the garage on the west side
Cost estimate according to architect/designer: 300,000 EUR
Personal price limit for the house, including fixtures: 300,000 EUR
Preferred heating technology: air-to-water heat pump
Why is the design the way it is?
The house will be positioned at the rear of the plot for southern orientation and the open view to the south. Placing the house at the front would result in a north-facing garden/terrace and the view onto the neighboring house directly adjacent to the north. This determines the entrance on the east side, located laterally. Unfortunately, the garage cannot be placed flush to the northern boundary because there is no driveway access (only a footpath/bike path). We do not want a work/guest room on the ground floor.
We particularly like the views from the street sides, namely the south side (garden side) and the east side (entrance side) – here we like the window arrangement and the overall facade and house appearance.
Where do you see problems? Where is there potential for optimization? What stands out to you? Is the floor plan feasible?
We had hoped for a straight concrete staircase but, in our opinion, this cannot be reasonably implemented here.
we have been working on our floor plan for a while.
We are generally quite satisfied but are still looking for potential improvements.
Do you have any alternatives? Please give us honest feedback for the next steps. Any criticism is welcome.
Here is the oriented site plan, followed by the elevations and floor plans...
Development plan / restrictions
Plot size: 671 sqm (7220 sq ft)
Slope: none
Site coverage ratio: 0.15 (max. house footprint 100.6 sqm (1083 sq ft))
Floor area ratio: 0.3
Building envelope, building line, and boundary: see site plan
Required parking spaces: 2 (hence double garage, minimum garage parking space width/length 2.4/5 m (8/16 ft))
Number of floors: 2
Roof type: no flat roof
Maximum buildable area including ancillary structures: 150.9 sqm (site coverage ratio 0.15 + 50%)
Owners’ requirements
Architectural style, roof form, building type: urban villa, chosen for storage options in the attic and maximum living space usage on the given footprint
Basement, floors: no basement (no budget), 2 floors above ground due to development plan
Number of people, ages: 2 adults, 2 children (10 and 6 years)
Office/guest room: family use, some office use, guest room with 5 overnight guests per year
Modern construction: yes
Open kitchen, kitchen island: yes
Fireplace: no
Balcony, roof terrace: planned later on garage roof
Garage, carport: double garage, more for workshops than parking
House design
Planner: myself, using Sweet Home
What do we like most? Spacious ground floor, large children’s rooms, large entrance area, sightline from entrance to kitchen
What do we dislike? The long way from the garage to the entrance, therefore a secondary door to the utility room, location of the garage on the west side
Cost estimate according to architect/designer: 300,000 EUR
Personal price limit for the house, including fixtures: 300,000 EUR
Preferred heating technology: air-to-water heat pump
Why is the design the way it is?
The house will be positioned at the rear of the plot for southern orientation and the open view to the south. Placing the house at the front would result in a north-facing garden/terrace and the view onto the neighboring house directly adjacent to the north. This determines the entrance on the east side, located laterally. Unfortunately, the garage cannot be placed flush to the northern boundary because there is no driveway access (only a footpath/bike path). We do not want a work/guest room on the ground floor.
We particularly like the views from the street sides, namely the south side (garden side) and the east side (entrance side) – here we like the window arrangement and the overall facade and house appearance.
Where do you see problems? Where is there potential for optimization? What stands out to you? Is the floor plan feasible?
We had hoped for a straight concrete staircase but, in our opinion, this cannot be reasonably implemented here.
The orientation of the house according to the cardinal directions is, of course, the ideal choice. You have a plot facing northeast – probably one of the least favorable orientations. On top of that, you are only allowed to build on the west side. Even less sun.
I would give up the struggle to get southern sun onto the terrace and accept the situation as it is. A beautiful garden can also be created on the north side. In summer, the sun is present for a long time and shines from the west onto the north-facing terrace. In winter, people generally don’t sit outside; here, it is more important to bring the sun into the house, not onto the terrace. Additionally, the house also serves as a shield from the street. Hardly anyone wants to sit in the front yard.
Excessively long paths are just costly and take up unnecessary square meters from the garden.
Therefore, I would probably position the house like this:
If after the first summer you find that you don’t get enough sun, you could always consider placing a pavilion in the center of the garden.
I would give up the struggle to get southern sun onto the terrace and accept the situation as it is. A beautiful garden can also be created on the north side. In summer, the sun is present for a long time and shines from the west onto the north-facing terrace. In winter, people generally don’t sit outside; here, it is more important to bring the sun into the house, not onto the terrace. Additionally, the house also serves as a shield from the street. Hardly anyone wants to sit in the front yard.
Excessively long paths are just costly and take up unnecessary square meters from the garden.
Therefore, I would probably position the house like this:
If after the first summer you find that you don’t get enough sun, you could always consider placing a pavilion in the center of the garden.
Wastewater exits the house at its source and is directed together into a sewage shaft. Rainwater from the roof (if managed) also goes there and is then drained.
I am also surprised that the utilities are not collected from a single point on the property.
With the planned garage and the house, and a north-facing utility room, access would be to the east, but not to the south, at least not by a simple, direct route.
Yes, the garage will be quite a blunder.
That would also be an option, with the garage on the right to the south (then the edge development becomes a repaved parking area), at least to better manage the paving and the path to the house.
I am also surprised that the utilities are not collected from a single point on the property.
With the planned garage and the house, and a north-facing utility room, access would be to the east, but not to the south, at least not by a simple, direct route.
Yes, the garage will be quite a blunder.
Maria16 schrieb:
What is the objection to positioning the house more consistently to the south, or at least placing the garage on the east side, so that the garden isn’t flanked by access paths on both sides?
That would also be an option, with the garage on the right to the south (then the edge development becomes a repaved parking area), at least to better manage the paving and the path to the house.
kaho674 schrieb:
Orienting the house according to the cardinal directions is obviously the first choice. You have a plot facing northeast – probably one of the least attractive orientations there is. On top of that, you are only allowed to build on the western side. Even less sun.
I would give up on the struggle to get southern sunlight onto the terrace and accept the reality. A nice garden can also be created on the north side. In summer, the sun is out for a long time and shines from the west onto the north-facing terrace. In winter, you don’t spend time outside anyway; here it’s important to bring the sunlight into the house – not onto the terrace. Moreover, the house also serves as a shield against the street. Few people want to sit in the front garden.
Long paths are just expensive and unnecessarily reduce the garden area.
Therefore, I would probably position the house like this:
If after the first summer you find the sun insufficient, you could always consider adding a pavilion in the middle of the garden. Hi Katja,
I’ve incorporated your suggestion into our plan. Thanks.
This is exactly our original planning before we found out that our neighbor to the west intends to build their house all the way at the northern edge. We thought it made more sense for both houses to face north. That’s why we are also trying to find a practical solution for a south-facing garden.
The only downsides we see with this plan for a north garden are that the neighbor’s existing house to the north is elevated and doesn’t look particularly attractive.
kbt09 schrieb:
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and then ... 10.6 m (35 feet) wide house and garage exterior dimension only 5.15 m (17 feet), while you are already counting the exterior wall of the house as the garage wall.
Where will the bicycles go? Lawn mower and other garden equipment? You write that the garage is more for working on cars than parking, but in winter you lose the chance to get into a scratch-free car.
And then there was the important question… Where do the utilities enter the property from? You placed the room for that in the north corner. Is that practical?
Do you already know where the neighbor wants to put their garage/carport? And what are the setback requirements? 3 m (10 feet) unbuilt next to your property or even 5 m (16 feet)?Hello kbt,
The garage width is only intended to meet parking space requirements, hence the internal dimension of 4.8 m (16 feet). The garage should never be used as a true double garage.
Since the possibility of a rooftop terrace on the garage roof most likely will be discarded, the garage will not be located on the north side, but rather at the street side in the south.
Putting the garage on the east side is not possible because outside the building zone neither garages nor parking spaces may be built.
Bicycles, garden tools, etc. will go into the garden shed and not into the garage.
I have roughly drawn in the neighbor’s garage, but that is only a preliminary plan. The neighbor must keep a 3 m (10 feet) setback or boundary construction, and along the street must keep 5 m (16 feet).
What do you think? Version 01
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hampshire18 Feb 2019 22:35So far, all houses have been positioned “at right angles” within the building plot. Is this strictly necessary? Perhaps a creative suggestion.
The home office is inconveniently located between the children’s rooms if you want it to be rather quiet – for example, for phone calls or video conferences.
I find the following proposal very promising.
Bicycles in a bicycle garage with a foldable plexiglass roof in the northeast corner of the property. Garden tools in a shed. For ice scraping, there are parking heaters.
The home office is inconveniently located between the children’s rooms if you want it to be rather quiet – for example, for phone calls or video conferences.
I find the following proposal very promising.
kbt09 schrieb:
kbt09 schrieb:
Where should the bicycles go? Lawn mower and other garden equipment? You say the garage is more for working on the car than parking, but in winter you lose the chance to get into a scratch-free car.
Bicycles in a bicycle garage with a foldable plexiglass roof in the northeast corner of the property. Garden tools in a shed. For ice scraping, there are parking heaters.
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