So, the corona lockdown and the final phase of my career have some positive sides:
I have two small gem plots of land that are finally going to be built on (one for ourselves, one for our oldest son – here is the first one). We have negotiated the plot for a long time, also with an architect (hmm), and as someone who is slightly indecisive, I’m losing clear overview with all the alternatives: which basic form fits best for the plot and for us?
As a first step, it would be great to get some help from you. Then next would be our detailed planning.
Plot size: 500m2 (5382 sq ft), southwest facing, 19.5m (64 ft) (street side) x 25.5m (84 ft); Berlin, very good location.
Very green inner area to the west, undevelopable. Quiet street.
Two challenges:
Front garden with 7.5 meters (25 ft) is very large,
Huge spruce tree around 25-30m (82-98 ft) high almost directly on the western plot boundary at the neighbor’s in the northwest corner.
Slope: no
Plot ratio (site coverage ratio): 0.25
Floor area ratio (FAR): none, max 2 floors plus roof
Building envelope, building line and boundary: keep 7.5m (25 ft) clear to the street, no parking place there; 3m (10 ft) setback to the three neighbors
Number of parking spaces
Number of storeys: max 2 storeys plus roof
Roof shape: planning office considers flat roofs undesirable, but in the surroundings such a roof has been approved.
Other requirements: “fit in” with the neighborhood
Clients’ requirements:
Style, roof shape, building type: modern, but above all coherent and of high quality.
Basement, floors: basement technically difficult due to access and plot size; in the area, all houses have basements, mostly about 1 meter (3 ft) above ground. From our point of view, given the small plot, basement is inappropriate because of stairs leading to the small garden.
Two floors plus roof.
Number of occupants, ages: 3: father/mother/child, 60/51/12 years, father works from home.
Space requirements ground floor (GF), upper floor (UF): UF 3 rooms, a separate office room GF/UF conceivable but not mandatory. Steam sauna.
Office: family use or home office? Father’s home office.
Guest overnight stays per year: rare, child often.
Open or closed architecture: rather open, but more west and east as a unit, rather than east and kitchen (at the dining table homework, games, reading newspaper, etc.).
Conservative or modern construction: modern.
Open kitchen, cooking island: if it fits, but the dining table is actually the family center, even without eating, so a direct view of frying pans is not essential.
Number of dining seats: 5
Fireplace: rather yes, but in the last house it was pointless; abroad in France, however, it’s a dream.
Music/stereo wall: father is a music lover.
Balcony, roof terrace: rather yes.
Garage, carport: at least a carport on the right side (pardon: north side).
Utility garden, greenhouse: no.
Further wishes/particulars/daily routine, also reasons why some things should or should not be:
Preferably no “chocolate-box house” or “replacement villa.” But if conventional is better, that’s also OK.
Preliminary house plans
I am aware that we will probably need an architect and that the drafters from a construction company may not be enough. So far, we have not found one (who can plan eco-friendly construction).
Origin of the plans:
One from an architect, but with many promises contradicting the zoning plan, like a fitness studio in the basement with floor-level excavations up to the neighbor’s boundary.
- Planner from a construction company
- Do-it-yourself
What do you particularly like? Why?
Each has a first “draft” of a GF and UF, knowing that “draft” is a bit exaggerated.
In random order:
Draft 4 (angled): adapts to the sun, the opening of space from small at the entrance to large in the living room, the transitions, the flow of rooms kitchen-dining-living room, possibilities for terrace all around east/living room, great unconventional children’s room with terrace.
Draft 3: always works with L-shape kitchen-dining-living, lots of garden to the west, narrow side to the southeast neighbor.
Draft 2 (corner): partly covered outdoor area, the neat UF, the UF terrace.
Draft 1 (“barn”): the aesthetic exterior, clear structure.
What do you not like? Why?
D4: kitchen too subordinate? Large living area needs subdivision… upstairs attractive but difficult.
D3: no structure of garden/terrace not derived from or shaped by house/plot.
D2: inside GF too fragmented? Kitchen not separated enough from dining area? UF not easy to design because of angle.
D1 barn: small garden to the west.
Price estimate according to architect/planner:
Personal price limit for the house, including equipment:
We have no fixed price limit; it should be appropriate to the (small) but valuable plot. I expect an all-in cost of about 700,000 euros (approx. 700 K€).
Preferred heating technology: geothermal.
If you have to give up something, which details/expansions could you?
- Can give up: basement,
- Cannot give up: light, 3m (10 ft) ceiling heights on GF, views of nature, ecologically flawless construction (minimized pollutants).
What is the most important/fundamental question about the floor plan summarized in 130 characters?
Which of the basic concepts should we pursue further for THIS plot? Or are there still too many options so we need to decide our favorite first?
Because of teenager: preferably smaller GF/UF and converted roof?
I have two small gem plots of land that are finally going to be built on (one for ourselves, one for our oldest son – here is the first one). We have negotiated the plot for a long time, also with an architect (hmm), and as someone who is slightly indecisive, I’m losing clear overview with all the alternatives: which basic form fits best for the plot and for us?
As a first step, it would be great to get some help from you. Then next would be our detailed planning.
Plot size: 500m2 (5382 sq ft), southwest facing, 19.5m (64 ft) (street side) x 25.5m (84 ft); Berlin, very good location.
Very green inner area to the west, undevelopable. Quiet street.
Two challenges:
Front garden with 7.5 meters (25 ft) is very large,
Huge spruce tree around 25-30m (82-98 ft) high almost directly on the western plot boundary at the neighbor’s in the northwest corner.
Slope: no
Plot ratio (site coverage ratio): 0.25
Floor area ratio (FAR): none, max 2 floors plus roof
Building envelope, building line and boundary: keep 7.5m (25 ft) clear to the street, no parking place there; 3m (10 ft) setback to the three neighbors
Number of parking spaces
Number of storeys: max 2 storeys plus roof
Roof shape: planning office considers flat roofs undesirable, but in the surroundings such a roof has been approved.
Other requirements: “fit in” with the neighborhood
Clients’ requirements:
Style, roof shape, building type: modern, but above all coherent and of high quality.
Basement, floors: basement technically difficult due to access and plot size; in the area, all houses have basements, mostly about 1 meter (3 ft) above ground. From our point of view, given the small plot, basement is inappropriate because of stairs leading to the small garden.
Two floors plus roof.
Number of occupants, ages: 3: father/mother/child, 60/51/12 years, father works from home.
Space requirements ground floor (GF), upper floor (UF): UF 3 rooms, a separate office room GF/UF conceivable but not mandatory. Steam sauna.
Office: family use or home office? Father’s home office.
Guest overnight stays per year: rare, child often.
Open or closed architecture: rather open, but more west and east as a unit, rather than east and kitchen (at the dining table homework, games, reading newspaper, etc.).
Conservative or modern construction: modern.
Open kitchen, cooking island: if it fits, but the dining table is actually the family center, even without eating, so a direct view of frying pans is not essential.
Number of dining seats: 5
Fireplace: rather yes, but in the last house it was pointless; abroad in France, however, it’s a dream.
Music/stereo wall: father is a music lover.
Balcony, roof terrace: rather yes.
Garage, carport: at least a carport on the right side (pardon: north side).
Utility garden, greenhouse: no.
Further wishes/particulars/daily routine, also reasons why some things should or should not be:
Preferably no “chocolate-box house” or “replacement villa.” But if conventional is better, that’s also OK.
Preliminary house plans
I am aware that we will probably need an architect and that the drafters from a construction company may not be enough. So far, we have not found one (who can plan eco-friendly construction).
Origin of the plans:
One from an architect, but with many promises contradicting the zoning plan, like a fitness studio in the basement with floor-level excavations up to the neighbor’s boundary.
- Planner from a construction company
- Do-it-yourself
What do you particularly like? Why?
Each has a first “draft” of a GF and UF, knowing that “draft” is a bit exaggerated.
In random order:
Draft 4 (angled): adapts to the sun, the opening of space from small at the entrance to large in the living room, the transitions, the flow of rooms kitchen-dining-living room, possibilities for terrace all around east/living room, great unconventional children’s room with terrace.
Draft 3: always works with L-shape kitchen-dining-living, lots of garden to the west, narrow side to the southeast neighbor.
Draft 2 (corner): partly covered outdoor area, the neat UF, the UF terrace.
Draft 1 (“barn”): the aesthetic exterior, clear structure.
What do you not like? Why?
D4: kitchen too subordinate? Large living area needs subdivision… upstairs attractive but difficult.
D3: no structure of garden/terrace not derived from or shaped by house/plot.
D2: inside GF too fragmented? Kitchen not separated enough from dining area? UF not easy to design because of angle.
D1 barn: small garden to the west.
Price estimate according to architect/planner:
Personal price limit for the house, including equipment:
We have no fixed price limit; it should be appropriate to the (small) but valuable plot. I expect an all-in cost of about 700,000 euros (approx. 700 K€).
Preferred heating technology: geothermal.
If you have to give up something, which details/expansions could you?
- Can give up: basement,
- Cannot give up: light, 3m (10 ft) ceiling heights on GF, views of nature, ecologically flawless construction (minimized pollutants).
What is the most important/fundamental question about the floor plan summarized in 130 characters?
Which of the basic concepts should we pursue further for THIS plot? Or are there still too many options so we need to decide our favorite first?
Because of teenager: preferably smaller GF/UF and converted roof?
UJS-Nord schrieb:
That's all.So, you have a building depth of 17 m (56 ft) (20 m (66 ft), but the building limit coincides with the southwest property boundary, so you need to deduct 3 m (10 ft) as a building setback there, assuming you disregard any boundary-privileged constructions, right?https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
11ant schrieb:
You have a building envelope depth of 17 m (20 m, but the building boundary aligns with the southwest property line, so 3 m (10 feet) of building setback must be deducted there, unless you consider exceptional cases of boundary-privileged construction) (?)No, unfortunately not: the rear building boundary is about 2 m (6.5 feet) behind my rear property line, so the building envelope is calculated as follows:
Property depth = 25.0 m (82 feet) north side, 26.2 m (86 feet) south side. From these 25 m (82 feet), 7.5 m (25 feet) are subtracted for the front, street-facing building line, and 3 m (10 feet) (or 0.4 x wall height, potentially 4 m (13 feet) due to the gable wall) for the rear building setback, resulting in a maximum utilized building envelope depth of 14.5 m (48 feet).
For the northern neighbor, I allow 3 m (10 feet) plus 1 m (3 feet) distance, since there is likely a parking space/garage there, and 3 m (10 feet) to the southern neighbor.
Foreword:
The discussion is already having exactly the effect I hoped for: it forces me to examine much more critically whether a concept really matches what I/we want, and whether it really suits the plot.
At the same time, I certainly need to provide more concrete details so that the discussion does not prematurely focus on the “northern barn” only.
Yes, those were my thoughts as well, and if you do it that way, it will certainly be at least quite good (7.5 x 13 meters (25 x 43 feet) would not be sufficient on the ground floor though).
Now the “but” becomes clearer: if you do it that way, you open the house along 13 meters (43 feet) length to the southeast, and exactly towards the southeastern neighbor on the full “wide side.” At the same time, however, from the street perspective this is a classic southwest, not a southeast plot, especially one with an unobstructed southwest view towards the park.
Shouldn’t one therefore also consider a solution that is more park-oriented and southwest rather than southeast-oriented?
Absolutely!
Yes, true, and thanks for the hint, but here the plot situation is the opposite: this is a southwest plot, theirs a northeast plot.
So, the child has taken space, @ypg 😀: attached are the first drawings for Alternative 4 / angled corner for the dining room.
There is also a narrower version of this, visually slimmer in the living room area and with only one room facing west upstairs.
The rest will follow tomorrow.
On the computer, it definitely looks nicer... 😕
The discussion is already having exactly the effect I hoped for: it forces me to examine much more critically whether a concept really matches what I/we want, and whether it really suits the plot.
At the same time, I certainly need to provide more concrete details so that the discussion does not prematurely focus on the “northern barn” only.
ypg schrieb:
You have a garden facing west through the garden to the south.
ypg schrieb:
Without having read the text: long and narrow along the north side, light through southern sun inside the house, living room in the west
Yes, those were my thoughts as well, and if you do it that way, it will certainly be at least quite good (7.5 x 13 meters (25 x 43 feet) would not be sufficient on the ground floor though).
Now the “but” becomes clearer: if you do it that way, you open the house along 13 meters (43 feet) length to the southeast, and exactly towards the southeastern neighbor on the full “wide side.” At the same time, however, from the street perspective this is a classic southwest, not a southeast plot, especially one with an unobstructed southwest view towards the park.
Shouldn’t one therefore also consider a solution that is more park-oriented and southwest rather than southeast-oriented?
11ant schrieb:
If you’re interested in my two cents on it
Absolutely!
Nida35a schrieb:
Why do the images make me think of @pagoni2020’s design, outer shape, interior openness, and incredibly flexible room layout?
Yes, true, and thanks for the hint, but here the plot situation is the opposite: this is a southwest plot, theirs a northeast plot.
ypg schrieb:
Regarding the possible 125 sqm (1350 sq ft)—you have one child. That definitely takes space now and then.
So, the child has taken space, @ypg 😀: attached are the first drawings for Alternative 4 / angled corner for the dining room.
There is also a narrower version of this, visually slimmer in the living room area and with only one room facing west upstairs.
The rest will follow tomorrow.
On the computer, it definitely looks nicer... 😕
UJS-Nord schrieb:
It definitely looks nicer on the computer...Better to have a clear drawing in your hand than a Picasso on the roof ;-)https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
B
Bertram10031 Dec 2020 08:06I think the living room lacks a bit of a “retreat” area. It has almost nothing but windows. Having the piano and the fireplace together will be difficult for the piano. And it kind of ended up with the “kids’ table” spot there in the walkway.
I also don’t really like an L-shaped sofa. But that’s just my personal taste. 😉
Other than that, I think it’s a nice floor plan. I would buy a house like this.
I also don’t really like an L-shaped sofa. But that’s just my personal taste. 😉
Other than that, I think it’s a nice floor plan. I would buy a house like this.