ᐅ How can you best optimize a floor plan with a northeast orientation?
Created on: 15 Mar 2022 07:48
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CookingWithIceC
CookingWithIce15 Mar 2022 07:48Hi, we have been searching for a plot of land for a while and although we didn’t get a royal flush in the new development lottery, we were at least offered an “affordable” plot. It’s 473m² (5,090 sq ft) with a northeast orientation (street on the southwest side).
An optimal south-facing garden, etc., is not possible with this plot, which unfortunately not everyone can have. It’s also not the widest plot, so it’s important to consider the impact of neighboring buildings. In the screenshot, I simulated the sun position on July 1 at 5:00 pm. At least the adjacent plots to the north are recreational gardens without significant buildings.
We could of course say this is a no-go, but we’re probably not the only ones facing a less-than-ideal orientation. That’s why we’re looking for examples, floor plans, or inspiration on how to make the most out of a northeast-facing plot. What do you think?
An optimal south-facing garden, etc., is not possible with this plot, which unfortunately not everyone can have. It’s also not the widest plot, so it’s important to consider the impact of neighboring buildings. In the screenshot, I simulated the sun position on July 1 at 5:00 pm. At least the adjacent plots to the north are recreational gardens without significant buildings.
We could of course say this is a no-go, but we’re probably not the only ones facing a less-than-ideal orientation. That’s why we’re looking for examples, floor plans, or inspiration on how to make the most out of a northeast-facing plot. What do you think?
I like to work with skylights or a separate terrace for these kinds of plots.
That means I first plan a conservatory for the dining area—depending on the size, including the kitchen is also possible.
In addition, I place a gazebo or something similar in the sunny part of the garden as a second terrace.
Otherwise, first show the development plan/planning permission and state your requirements—see the questionnaire in the pinned thread. Everything also depends on the budget.
That means I first plan a conservatory for the dining area—depending on the size, including the kitchen is also possible.
In addition, I place a gazebo or something similar in the sunny part of the garden as a second terrace.
Otherwise, first show the development plan/planning permission and state your requirements—see the questionnaire in the pinned thread. Everything also depends on the budget.
As @K a t j a wrote, please complete the questionnaire.
The orientation seems very familiar to me; I feel very similar. Look forward to a beautiful sunny garden (assuming the building is not 12 meters (40 feet) high overall) and plenty of window areas facing the garden without needing to darken them in summer due to sunlight exposure. Questionnaire, building permit / planning permission, what is the roof orientation?
The orientation seems very familiar to me; I feel very similar. Look forward to a beautiful sunny garden (assuming the building is not 12 meters (40 feet) high overall) and plenty of window areas facing the garden without needing to darken them in summer due to sunlight exposure. Questionnaire, building permit / planning permission, what is the roof orientation?
It should definitely not be considered a "no-go," and if you think about it more carefully, you can actually gain some advantages from it. The mentioned southern orientation is far from perfect, and in summer you start to complain that the house gets too hot. At the same time, you turn on air conditioners and/or sit in the dark with the blinds closed...
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CookingWithIce15 Mar 2022 10:48Thank you for the initial feedback. I have filled out the questionnaire as best as possible (I would upload the development plan / building restrictions directly, but PDFs are not allowed):
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 473m2 (5,090 sq ft)
Slope: no, was previously a sports field
Floor area ratio: 0.4
Plot ratio: -
Building lines and boundaries: in my drawing, the two black lines (3m (10 ft) from the street, on the street side set back max. 2m (7 ft) from the building boundary)
Edge clearances: 3m (10 ft) distance
Number of parking spaces: 1
Number of floors: 2 full stories
Roof type: gable roof, 30-38°
Architectural style: still open
Orientation: Roof? Matches the arrows, approximately northeast <-> southwest, or northwest <-> southwest 😀
Maximum heights / limits: max. building height 10.5m (34 ft), building length 15m (49 ft), driveway max. 6m (20 ft) wide, carport allowed from 1m (3 ft) street boundary
We are still quite open regarding the requirements; these are currently only considerations to determine if the plot fits our needs, and we would then hire an architect. Maybe the order is backwards, since we plan the house based on the plot?
A few key points we have in mind:
~150m2 (1,615 sq ft), 2 floors?, with basement
Open architecture, modern construction, open kitchen
Home office for at least 1 person, preferably also usable as a guest room
Budget for the house alone is planned at €500,000, the plot will be paid in cash as equity
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 473m2 (5,090 sq ft)
Slope: no, was previously a sports field
Floor area ratio: 0.4
Plot ratio: -
Building lines and boundaries: in my drawing, the two black lines (3m (10 ft) from the street, on the street side set back max. 2m (7 ft) from the building boundary)
Edge clearances: 3m (10 ft) distance
Number of parking spaces: 1
Number of floors: 2 full stories
Roof type: gable roof, 30-38°
Architectural style: still open
Orientation: Roof? Matches the arrows, approximately northeast <-> southwest, or northwest <-> southwest 😀
Maximum heights / limits: max. building height 10.5m (34 ft), building length 15m (49 ft), driveway max. 6m (20 ft) wide, carport allowed from 1m (3 ft) street boundary
We are still quite open regarding the requirements; these are currently only considerations to determine if the plot fits our needs, and we would then hire an architect. Maybe the order is backwards, since we plan the house based on the plot?
A few key points we have in mind:
~150m2 (1,615 sq ft), 2 floors?, with basement
Open architecture, modern construction, open kitchen
Home office for at least 1 person, preferably also usable as a guest room
Budget for the house alone is planned at €500,000, the plot will be paid in cash as equity
I believe it is definitely possible to build a very nice house that meets your requirements on a north-facing plot. You just need to pay a bit more attention to bringing natural light into the house than usual. A good architect should have no problem with that. If land is scarce and expensive, I would go for it. Whether $500K for 150 sqm (1,615 sq ft) plus a basement is enough— that might be a bit tight. Depending on the region, current costs are roughly around 2,500 to 3,000 euros per sqm (approximately 232 to 279 USD per sq ft) plus about 100K euros (about 110K USD) for the basement— this is a very rough estimate.
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