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
kbt09 schrieb:
To provide real privacy, something like that has to be about as tall as a person; anything less is just an illusion 😉 We already have a similar setup, which is where the idea comes from. It’s an island with a taller wall (about 1.20 meters (4 feet)) on one side that also serves as a bar. As you said, it’s not 100% privacy, but that’s not our main concern.
A
akanezumi13 Aug 2022 20:49From my own painful experience (construction not yet complete), I believe that it is absolutely impossible to build a house like this for only 600,000. We planned a large house (for 5 people) with a budget of 700,000 plus a buffer, and it is now expected to cost at least 900,000. We don’t have gold-plated faucets or 4-meter (13 ft) ceiling heights. You usually have to add 20 to 30% to price estimates from 2020, much to the surprise of our architect as well.
motorradsilke schrieb:
I would place the sauna closer to the window and give it a glass door so you can look out into the garden. What else is supposed to go into the wellness room?The room is intended as a multifunctional space – for fitness, workspace (with associated storage), and usable as a guest room (with a fold-away bed). That’s why the planned (but not yet drawn) bathroom with a toilet next to the sauna. We wanted one large room instead of several smaller ones. But maybe that’s not such a good idea after all. Somehow, it’s still not quite working…Sunny_OE schrieb:
We wanted one large room instead of several smaller ones. But maybe that’s not such a good idea after all. What kind of home do you currently live in? A 70 sqm (750 sq ft) apartment or a 180 sqm (1,940 sq ft) house?
And what age is considered the best? Especially, the best for what? (35?)
First of all: please don’t leave us here. I want to know what happened by 2026 and especially how much over 1 million 😉
i_b_n_a_n schrieb:
Age of the client: In the prime of life.
… leads me to suspect that both are quite calm inside, ...
From now on, I would completely leave the budget topic to the clients. I trust both to keep an eye on it! Also, the architect is a female planner (not a male architect). Thank you very much for your encouraging words! I was really happy to read your comment.
To satisfy your curiosity 😉 – we are both 58, so still fit but also mature enough to plan ahead. Hopefully we will remain calm throughout the building process... In addition, we are self-employed, so we are used to budgeting and watching out for potential pitfalls. So thank you for the reminder not to discuss the budget further. And it’s true, I have the impression that our architect is very responsible with the allocated budget.
I will gladly keep you updated and ask for your suggestions, and I look forward to hearing from you again.