Good evening!
I’m hoping for some collective advice. We want to expand a two-family house – the options we considered at the time were either an extension or creating a usable attic by slightly raising the knee wall. I had major reservations about the first option because I’ve hardly ever seen an attractive extension. Then the architect sent me a design that I quite liked. However, it later turned out that structurally it only works with so many compromises that it’s unusable again. For several days now, I’ve been looking at this view and it only looks worse. It resembles a garage. But that’s not all – what was supposed to be a shaded area is unfortunately only 1.7m (5.6 ft) high. Yet that matches the balcony, as it was trimmed to the same width.
All parties involved, meaning us and the architect, generally get along well but are currently a bit stressed with each other. How does one handle a situation like this? By the way, we’re still puzzled about how the chaotic arrangement of windows on the garden side came about.
I’m hoping for some collective advice. We want to expand a two-family house – the options we considered at the time were either an extension or creating a usable attic by slightly raising the knee wall. I had major reservations about the first option because I’ve hardly ever seen an attractive extension. Then the architect sent me a design that I quite liked. However, it later turned out that structurally it only works with so many compromises that it’s unusable again. For several days now, I’ve been looking at this view and it only looks worse. It resembles a garage. But that’s not all – what was supposed to be a shaded area is unfortunately only 1.7m (5.6 ft) high. Yet that matches the balcony, as it was trimmed to the same width.
All parties involved, meaning us and the architect, generally get along well but are currently a bit stressed with each other. How does one handle a situation like this? By the way, we’re still puzzled about how the chaotic arrangement of windows on the garden side came about.
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nordanney19 Apr 2021 16:25Schelli schrieb:
So, this is a two-family house with a half basement. Since that is a bit small (for two households), you need to expand attractively either upwards or to the rear. Both options are generally possible under §34.Well, the planned extension to your house looks like attaching a Guggenheim Museum-style addition to an 80s concrete employment office building (anyone unfamiliar with the comparison should look up both).I would expect such an extension with all that glass and the cantilever on spectacular building sites—directly on a cliff by the sea, for example. Visually a 5 out of 10 (and certainly financially demanding).
Nice-Nofret schrieb:
vibrant exterior facadePhew, to me, it looks more dead than vibrant. I agree with you about the urban villas: they’re also lifeless—at least those built without care—which is a failing of our society.
I read a poster yesterday that said: Architecture connects people and nature. That’s how it should be!
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GeradeSchräg19 Apr 2021 20:10Basically, I think the design is quite cool, but maybe it would be better to take a somewhat more conservative approach. That doesn’t mean it has to be generic.
The “shaded area” is located under the house, which gives me the impression of being in a garage. Perhaps this area should be at ground floor level to reduce the feeling of sitting in front of a huge wall.
If you plan to completely renovate the original house (170m² (1830 sq ft)) plus the extension as designed by the architect, in my opinion your budget won’t be sufficient.
If I were you, I would contact the architect and explain the situation—that you really like his work but it’s not quite right for you. He should handle your decision professionally and understand your concerns. Take a short break and then start again.
What brief did you give the architect for the planning? Or how did you envision the outcome? Are there any reference projects?
The “shaded area” is located under the house, which gives me the impression of being in a garage. Perhaps this area should be at ground floor level to reduce the feeling of sitting in front of a huge wall.
If you plan to completely renovate the original house (170m² (1830 sq ft)) plus the extension as designed by the architect, in my opinion your budget won’t be sufficient.
If I were you, I would contact the architect and explain the situation—that you really like his work but it’s not quite right for you. He should handle your decision professionally and understand your concerns. Take a short break and then start again.
What brief did you give the architect for the planning? Or how did you envision the outcome? Are there any reference projects?
I like the extension, but my voice of reason is somehow against it.
What happens if the youngest starts their own family? 3.5 rooms could quickly become too small. And the house would already be very large just for two people.
On a different note:
How about a complete renovation, let's say for 250,000€ (or more), and everything beyond that amount is given to the youngest as seed money for a nice condominium?
Schelli schrieb:
The other living unit doesn’t need that much space; it’s meant for our youngest who just finished their studies. We were thinking about 3.5 rooms.
What happens if the youngest starts their own family? 3.5 rooms could quickly become too small. And the house would already be very large just for two people.
On a different note:
How about a complete renovation, let's say for 250,000€ (or more), and everything beyond that amount is given to the youngest as seed money for a nice condominium?
Tassimat schrieb:
What happens when the youngest child starts their own family?What happens if the youngest child eventually leaves the nest after all?Similar topics