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
haydee schrieb:
Dimensions are missing.
The house is not at all accessible or suitable for seniors with disabilities.
Thank you for your feedback. I currently don’t have a plan with wall dimensions. I will provide one later.I have received the bathrooms and toilets. Do you have any further comments regarding accessibility or potential issues? Thank you!
G
Gerichtsdiener14 Aug 2022 11:12kbt09 schrieb:
Not a stairlift, but a home lift 😉That one obviously looks nicer (especially in such a beautiful house), but as far as I know, it costs about 4 to 10 times as much as a stairlift? In the end, it’s a matter of budget, which hopefully will only need to be addressed in a few decades — or ideally never, if the residents stay healthy permanently 🙂 — I do agree with you, though, that to keep all options open, it would be wise to reserve a space for it right from the start.G
Gerichtsdiener14 Aug 2022 11:52I did a quick search, and it seemed to be more in the range of 30,000. But anyway, I don't think that's the main concern for the original poster right now. 🙂
kbt09 schrieb:
That may be true, but those are just formulas. We have partially looked at the drawings.Thanks for the detailed list of specific cost drivers. That is something we can work with.
I think it was a mistake to post the exterior view because it is misleading. This is just ONE design of how it could look. But I’m realistic enough to know that we might have to make some compromises. For example, we might have to give up the bay windows, have support columns in the living area, plan smaller glazing, skip the third floor and the biotope… and the “glass railings” are—if at all—a third priority. Also, we may need to reduce the overall size.
At this stage, my main goal is to understand where we can save space without sacrificing living quality, identify any planning errors in the room layout, figure out which rooms are too small or too large, catch what we might have overlooked, evaluate whether the rooms are arranged sensibly… and determine what we could do better.
Then the above-mentioned cost drivers will come into play, and we may have to consider changes based on priority.
I can only agree with the previous commenters.
This is truly a great design!
However, a building like this must never suffer from a lack of budget, because then the entire charm of such a project is lost.
You don’t want cheap flooring, white plastic windows, a standard kitchen, or hardware store lighting here.
A project like this deserves a healthy budget.
The problem with "building smaller but still with high quality" is that high quality knows no limits.
In other words, even 130m² (1400 sq ft) can cost 2 million.
There are great low-budget projects in this style, but they have to be fully embraced throughout!
I’m curious to see how it will continue.
This is truly a great design!
However, a building like this must never suffer from a lack of budget, because then the entire charm of such a project is lost.
You don’t want cheap flooring, white plastic windows, a standard kitchen, or hardware store lighting here.
A project like this deserves a healthy budget.
The problem with "building smaller but still with high quality" is that high quality knows no limits.
In other words, even 130m² (1400 sq ft) can cost 2 million.
There are great low-budget projects in this style, but they have to be fully embraced throughout!
I’m curious to see how it will continue.
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