Dear all, I have been following the discussions in this forum for some time and find the feedback on individual questions very helpful. We are building for the first time – with all the knowledge gaps that come with it… ;-)
Our plot is challenging because it is triangular, narrow, and has a requirement of 4m (13 feet) setbacks at the front building line and 20m (66 feet) to the tip. However, the orientation is great, and we have a beautiful distant view. We want to preserve as much garden space as possible and also enjoy an unobstructed view of nature and maximum sunlight – from sunrise to sunset. That’s why we are considering a partly “floating” living area on the upper floor with a terrace and access to the garden. Direct access from the ground floor to the garden is not a priority for us.
Due to building regulations, a large portion to the east remains undevelopable or possibly usable for outbuildings. Access is intended through this area, which will become the front garden. The house should be wheelchair accessible. The space should be used optimally, with plenty of storage, flexible, multifunctional rooms, and large floor-to-ceiling windows/doors or fixed glazing.
What do you think of our ideas? What weaknesses do you see?
Thanks in advance for any honest criticism and suggestions.
Development plan
Plot size – 590m2 (6350 sq ft)
Slight slope and southwest orientation
Maximum height – 8m (26 feet)
Client requirements
Clear lines, flat or shed roof
Floors – ground floor, upper floor, attic, total approx. 190m2 (2045 sq ft)
Occupants – 2 people in their prime and 2 dogs
Office: home office
Annual guest sleepers – 5 to 10
Open architecture
Construction method – modern design, clear and minimal shapes with interesting accents and deliberate contrasts that give the house a discreet uniqueness (facade, materials, etc.)
Open kitchen, possibly an island, but with some visual screening (bar or similar)
Number of dining seats – 8
Fireplace – ideally as a room divider between living and dining areas
Music/sound wall – soundbar at the TV, additional speakers distributed throughout the house
Balcony, roof terrace – on upper floor and attic
Carport for 2 cars
House design
Architect’s plan
Ground floor – entrance, utility rooms, fitness/work/guest room, bathroom & sauna
Upper floor – living, cooking & dining, close to nature, sunny, cozy, “public area,” terrace
Attic – bedrooms, sunny private retreat area, terrace
Garden – ideally visually extended, covered terrace, biotope near the terrace
What do you particularly like?
The open living-dining area on the first floor, the floor-to-ceiling windows, the path of the sun through the living area.
What do you not like?
We feel the room layout could be better, and maybe the same living feeling can be achieved with less square footage.
On the ground floor, only the sauna is shown; shower, sink, and toilet are still missing. The large room for fitness/work/guest use seems a bit oversized.
Preferred heating technology: geothermal probes and photovoltaic panels on the roof
Attachments: site plan, floor plans, exterior view
Our plot is challenging because it is triangular, narrow, and has a requirement of 4m (13 feet) setbacks at the front building line and 20m (66 feet) to the tip. However, the orientation is great, and we have a beautiful distant view. We want to preserve as much garden space as possible and also enjoy an unobstructed view of nature and maximum sunlight – from sunrise to sunset. That’s why we are considering a partly “floating” living area on the upper floor with a terrace and access to the garden. Direct access from the ground floor to the garden is not a priority for us.
Due to building regulations, a large portion to the east remains undevelopable or possibly usable for outbuildings. Access is intended through this area, which will become the front garden. The house should be wheelchair accessible. The space should be used optimally, with plenty of storage, flexible, multifunctional rooms, and large floor-to-ceiling windows/doors or fixed glazing.
What do you think of our ideas? What weaknesses do you see?
Thanks in advance for any honest criticism and suggestions.
Development plan
Plot size – 590m2 (6350 sq ft)
Slight slope and southwest orientation
Maximum height – 8m (26 feet)
Client requirements
Clear lines, flat or shed roof
Floors – ground floor, upper floor, attic, total approx. 190m2 (2045 sq ft)
Occupants – 2 people in their prime and 2 dogs
Office: home office
Annual guest sleepers – 5 to 10
Open architecture
Construction method – modern design, clear and minimal shapes with interesting accents and deliberate contrasts that give the house a discreet uniqueness (facade, materials, etc.)
Open kitchen, possibly an island, but with some visual screening (bar or similar)
Number of dining seats – 8
Fireplace – ideally as a room divider between living and dining areas
Music/sound wall – soundbar at the TV, additional speakers distributed throughout the house
Balcony, roof terrace – on upper floor and attic
Carport for 2 cars
House design
Architect’s plan
Ground floor – entrance, utility rooms, fitness/work/guest room, bathroom & sauna
Upper floor – living, cooking & dining, close to nature, sunny, cozy, “public area,” terrace
Attic – bedrooms, sunny private retreat area, terrace
Garden – ideally visually extended, covered terrace, biotope near the terrace
What do you particularly like?
The open living-dining area on the first floor, the floor-to-ceiling windows, the path of the sun through the living area.
What do you not like?
We feel the room layout could be better, and maybe the same living feeling can be achieved with less square footage.
On the ground floor, only the sauna is shown; shower, sink, and toilet are still missing. The large room for fitness/work/guest use seems a bit oversized.
Preferred heating technology: geothermal probes and photovoltaic panels on the roof
Attachments: site plan, floor plans, exterior view
C
Costruttrice12 Aug 2022 23:30Wow! I think this is a very unique custom house, and I really like it at first glance!
I’m not a floor plan expert, but here’s what caught my attention:
That large multi-purpose room on the ground floor—I can’t quite imagine coming out of the sauna and walking straight into a study with a guest bed couch… even if it only contains a cabinet with files you need. Somehow, that seems out of place given the overall concept of the house.
I can definitely imagine a fitness room and a “relaxation room” there, especially with the view. I would place the sauna directly next to the terrace overlooking the garden. Then, surround that space with the fitness area, and move the study-guest room, as it’s currently planned as the sauna, into a separate room with a few extra square meters.
The guest toilet seems too small to me at 1.6 m² (17 sq ft).
As for a fireplace, I could well imagine a hanging model if that is technically feasible with a chimney.
I also think the budget of €600,000 (about USD 640,000) is ambitious, but I’m really hoping it works out and would love to read more about your amazing project here!
I’m not a floor plan expert, but here’s what caught my attention:
That large multi-purpose room on the ground floor—I can’t quite imagine coming out of the sauna and walking straight into a study with a guest bed couch… even if it only contains a cabinet with files you need. Somehow, that seems out of place given the overall concept of the house.
I can definitely imagine a fitness room and a “relaxation room” there, especially with the view. I would place the sauna directly next to the terrace overlooking the garden. Then, surround that space with the fitness area, and move the study-guest room, as it’s currently planned as the sauna, into a separate room with a few extra square meters.
The guest toilet seems too small to me at 1.6 m² (17 sq ft).
As for a fireplace, I could well imagine a hanging model if that is technically feasible with a chimney.
I also think the budget of €600,000 (about USD 640,000) is ambitious, but I’m really hoping it works out and would love to read more about your amazing project here!
Sunny_OE schrieb:
Our goal is to build as cost-effectively as possible, and the latest estimate for the house is 600,000 (without fence, garden, and pool).This statement doesn’t really match the floor plan shown.It’s like trying to find designer shoes for $75.
The property can become really stylish, but definitely not for that amount!
The railing for the two balconies/terraces alone already costs around 50,000 € (approximately $54,000).
Costruttrice schrieb:
This large multipurpose room on the ground floor:
…
I can well imagine a fitness area and a “relaxation room” here, especially with that view. I would place the sauna directly next to the terrace overlooking the garden. Then around that space, the fitness area, and where the sauna is currently planned, a separate office-guest room with a few extra square meters.
A guest WC of 1.6 m² (17 sq ft) is too small for me.
For the fireplace, I could imagine a hanging model if that is technically feasible with the chimney. Thank you for your kind words and constructive comment. I’m also not fully satisfied with the ground floor yet. Our thought was that we would use the fitness area more often than the sauna, which is why it is placed with a view of the terrace. But your point about mixing it with the office space makes sense; we need to reconsider that.
I want to extend the guest WC. I think the space between the elevator and the WC can be integrated well, and the door moved forward. Then the small washbasin (with window) would come first, followed by the WC as currently planned.
I like the idea of a hanging fireplace. I just haven’t figured out the ideal location yet. The plan is to position the bookshelf wall next to the staircase (because windows aren’t essential there). That could also be a good spot for the fireplace… I’d appreciate hearing your thoughts on this.
Sunny_OE schrieb:
Preferred heating technology: ground heat exchangers and rooftop photovoltaic panels
They are expensive, require space, and cool down the ground. Does it work for you?
I would choose a deep borehole here if a brine-to-water heat pump is planned.
Good luck
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