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?
H
hanghaus200020 May 2021 11:34UJS-Nord schrieb:
Sorry, attached again with a north arrow.
Why is the parking space so far in the back? Without any real reason, and not practical, except that there is more width available there than directly next to the house. The only planning requirement is no parking space IN FRONT of the house within the 7.5m (25 feet) zone. Thanks. Is there no requirement for 2 parking spaces where you are?
UJS-Nord schrieb:
With layout V1, the kitchen on the left means you have to walk around the utility room block from the entrance.You could swap the kitchen and the utility room. Then, you could separate the utility room at a right angle to the sloping wall. The kitchen could be placed where the dining area is now... could, would, chain of thoughts.UJS-Nord schrieb:
But at the cost of having no real dining room, only a corridor-like space that doesn’t work, just a passage area. For me, a dining room like that is a dealbreaker.Since you already mentioned dining room and not dining area: because you have the route on the right side to the living room, I wouldn’t be too worried about 3.10 meters (10 ft 2 in)...UJS-Nord schrieb:
So why is the staircase located there? Why not further forward on the right or at least along the right wall?The planner’s intention was probably that you reach the upper floor with the staircase position. I wonder why you both haven’t discussed this together. She should be explaining the advantages and reasoning behind the design to make the concept more understandable, shouldn’t she?UJS-Nord schrieb:
Very accurate, it might even exceed the floor area ratio II. Far too much space lost on the right side.I assume that if an architect’s design is created (and shared here), then a) the figures regarding permitted limits are correct, and b) the client’s wishes are implemented. I don’t know your full requirements... have you posted a room program here? Honestly, from the design I read that a straight staircase is desired and a sloping wall facing south (although I don’t understand why the southwest is ignored). I also see that a roof terrace/balconies are requested, preferably with access from the bedroom to the roof terrace. Whether that makes sense, if everything has to be implemented, or if I see things differently, that is secondary: If this is your goal, then it is achieved. I also gather this is not meant to be a conventional standard house, but an architect’s design that not only focuses on practicality but also considers sightlines and aesthetics. Whether this is accepted or liked here in the forum is irrelevant. For example, the dining room: some people want exactly that cozy feeling, but also sightlines. Often these are hard to combine, but here it works well.UJS-Nord schrieb:
Whether it should be a bit more "villa-like" for the surroundings of the plot (red brick, white-trimmed old villas), maybe that still needs to be decided.You need to tell us what is allowed and fits in your area.UJS-Nord schrieb:
3. Both huge balconies taper to sharp points, making them unusable there, perhaps only for flowers/plants.The pointed ends provide access — one to the bedroom, one for window cleaning on the north side. The tip isn’t even visible in the view, right?UJS-Nord schrieb:
Or would you not have these concerns?No. Not like that. But I also wouldn’t want to cover the whole house with balconies and terraces. Ultimately, the south side is shaped by your wish to have a covered area. The planner turned that into a roof terrace with bedroom access.UJS-Nord schrieb:
4. The first floor would probably need to have the study turned into a walk-in closet. The bathroom is quite small for this house, no sauna option. No bathroom on the second floor but a shower on the ground floor??Shifting rooms is easy enough. Still, you need to clarify your requirements. Did the planner know about your desire for a sauna? And so on. I would like to try some options, but it’s not going to be my dream house — it has to meet your wishes.I would suggest first (considering your concerns and assuming you like the exterior look and the basic concept): a quarter-turned staircase against the exterior wall, so you can access the upper floor as well. I’d also like to ask again:
ypg schrieb:
Upper floor: how will you make the void area accessible? Will the office actually be used as an office in the upper floor, or is that just naming and will be used by the child?Just write down your wishes along with the room program. Any suggestion is pointless if no one knows what should be implemented and what is nice to have.
H
hanghaus200020 May 2021 12:17First, I would rotate the house slightly. This will make it 35 cm (14 inches) wider. Then, position the barn 6 m (20 feet) from the right property boundary (this should allow space for two cars if needed). Usually, cars are parked 7.5 m (25 feet) deep in the driveway. Or consider placing the entrance on the side.
I would skip the balcony on the driveway side.
There is also a better location for the staircase.
Otherwise, I prefer not to get into the floor plans. For example, I would include a room on the ground floor (guest room / bedroom).
I would skip the balcony on the driveway side.
There is also a better location for the staircase.
Otherwise, I prefer not to get into the floor plans. For example, I would include a room on the ground floor (guest room / bedroom).
H
hanghaus200020 May 2021 12:31By the way, I don’t understand the twisting of that one wall. You do have the south side, but there’s the huge fir tree from the neighbor standing right there.
hanghaus2000 schrieb:
You do have the south, but the huge fir tree from the neighbor is right there.No, the fir tree is located in the northwest.Similar topics