ᐅ Design of a Single-Family House Floor Plan (Convertible to a Two-Family Home for Later Use) on a Sloped Site

Created on: 1 Apr 2021 21:58
S
Seppl's Häusle
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 440 m² (4,736 ft²)
Slope: steep slope of 30° - 40° in the rear area, 7-10 m (23-33 ft) towel-shaped plateau along the street
Floor area ratio: not applicable, suitable
Gross floor area ratio: not applicable, suitable
Building envelope, building line, and boundary: no zoning plan, building permit for another project already approved
Edge development: single-family house, 2 full stories, mostly gable roof, but also flat and hipped roofs
Number of parking spaces: 2 required (no trapped parking space)
Number of stories: 2 full stories plus partial basement on the south-facing slope
Roof type: gable roof
Design style: open to planning
Orientation: hillside facing southwest
Maximum heights / limits: unknown
Other requirements: no zoning plan

Owners’ Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: gable roof, timeless both inside and out
Basement, stories: partial basement (on the slope) + 2 full stories (see cross-section)
Number of people, ages: 2 adults + 2 children
Space needed on ground and upper floor: approx. 85 m² (915 ft²) per floor
Office: initially none, if needed in guest room or basement
Overnight guests per year: hopefully many 🙂
Open or closed architecture: compromise, as the two apartments should remain separable in old age on ground and upper floor
Conservative or modern construction: as above
Open kitchen, kitchen island: yes
Number of dining seats: minimum 4
Fireplace: yes, in the conservatory
Balcony, roof terrace: yes, on the basement level, 2.5 m (8 ft) facing south
Garage, carport: yes, on the east side by the main entrance
Utility garden, greenhouse: terraced garden planned with usable areas
Other wishes / special features: no water connection in the basement to avoid a lifting system. Therefore, laundry room in the upper floor instead of basement. It is located by the stairwell so it can still be used in old age when the upper-floor apartment is separated by a door.

House Design
Who designed it:
Planner from a construction company together with us
What is especially liked? Why?
Open floor plan on the ground floor combined with private retreat areas on each floor. Bay window facing south (downhill side), conservatory, and terrace there as well
What is disliked? Why?
Basement and shape of the basement are not entirely satisfactory but likely cannot be changed due to staircase position in the stairwell.
WC and room on the ground floor feel cramped; have not found a better solution as access should not be through the main hallway
Cost estimate: none yet
Personal price limit including fittings: as long as we stay under 5 million, everything is fine 😀
Preferred heating system: solar combined with pellet heating

What you could live without
-could live without:
Upper floor bathroom is still very large; could be smaller
-cannot live without:
Ability to separate living units for old age, bay window in the living room

Why is the design like this?
The plot has a towel-shaped plateau measuring 22 m (72 ft) wide and 7-10 m (23-33 ft) long. The house’s mass will be placed there. A seating area/garden is planned to the west with access from the kitchen via a few meters of wooden terrace. The slope on the south side drops steeply. The garage and a parking space at the driveway will be located on the east side.
Windows are positioned symmetrically from the outside perspective, which is why their arrangement on the ground and upper floor appears a little unusual.

What is the most important/fundamental question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
We want to use the plot as it is, not fight against it. The unobstructed south view should be emphasized. The sightline from the entrance through the hallway, glass door over the dining table to the garden in the west should make the house feel spacious. Three old trees on the plot will be integrated into the garden. Inside, we aim for minimalism and a timeless living feel.

We welcome all suggestions and ideas but also have clear concepts that can hopefully already be seen in the floor plan.
Is there anything you think we should consider or improve?

Thank you very much for your support 🙂

Site plan: red rotated square marks building area in the floor plan with measurement lines.


Cross-section of a house with basement, ground floor (GF), and attic floor (AF) on a slope, gable roof.


Floor plan: living room, dining area, kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, hallway, stairs, north arrow.


Floor plan of a house with three rooms (Room 1, Room 2, Room 3) and staircase.


Floor plan of a building with several rooms, staircase, bathroom, and measurements.
S
Seppl's Häusle
22 Oct 2021 11:39
@haydee, @11ant, @ypg
Thank you for your comments, ideas, and suggestions. I am now closing this thread before a sociologist picks it up as a research project 😉
H
haydee
22 Oct 2021 11:54
I was planning to visit the new build at my in-laws’ place tomorrow. Across the street, a house is being built on a steep slope. It might be of interest to you. By the way, the design was done by an architectural firm that specializes in commercial buildings and multi-family houses. No idea why they took on this project.
So far, it looks pretty good.
The house is larger than your design and set further down. In other words, it has two stories with the slope at the back. However, all three levels have direct access to the outdoors.
11ant22 Oct 2021 12:38
haydee schrieb:

The house is larger than your plan and set further down. In other words, two floors with the slope at the back. However, all three levels have direct outdoor access.

I didn’t link the example from @sichtbeton82 without reason. By the way, the senior apartment is accessible from the uphill street.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
H
haydee
23 Oct 2021 11:18
So, I took a look.
I really like what has been built into the slope.
I estimate the landscaping will cost six figures.
Flat roof.
On the ground floor, I assume the bedrooms and a small balcony.
In the basement, very high ceilings.
The garden is terraced on two levels
with large sandstone blocks.
The spaces in between are planted, and since they are about 5m (16 feet) wide, the retaining structures are designed so they don’t feel overwhelming.
11ant23 Oct 2021 12:40
haydee schrieb:

So I took a look.
I really like what was built into the slope there.

What do you mean, what did you look at?
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
H
haydee
23 Oct 2021 18:37
See above. The house at my in-laws' place opposite. Similar steep slope. More suitable for viticulture than house construction. I thought it had three levels like the original poster's, but I was mistaken—only two levels and a flat roof. Little to take from it.