ᐅ 10x10 m urban villa (approximately 1,670 sq ft, 6 rooms), fine-tuning welcome
Created on: 20 Aug 2017 14:34
C
Changeling
Ground Floor:
Upper Floor:
Outdoor Areas:
Positioned on the Plot:
Development Plan / Restrictions:
The plot may only be built on the southern half; otherwise, there are no particular restrictions.
Plot size: 900 square meters (approx. 30 x 30 meters / 98 x 98 feet)
Slope: No, only on the west side does the land slope down 3 meters (10 feet) toward the street at the end of the plot. On the north side, there is a retaining wall because the plot is about 2 meters (7 feet) above street level there. Therefore, access by vehicle is only possible from the south.
Clients’ Requirements
Style, Roof Shape, Building Type: A two-story urban villa with a pyramid hip roof (square hipped roof), since the upper floor has no sloped ceilings.
Basement: No basement, as it is too expensive, impractical, and involves additional construction risks.
Number of Occupants, Age: 2 adults (30 years old), 1 child (3 years old), with 1-2 more children planned.
Living Room: A large, open living area was important to us as this is where life happens. A computer corner is planned in the lower right corner since we spend more time at the computer than watching TV. We also work a lot from home and do not want to be confined to a separate room.
Fireplace: Yes.
Guest Room: Also used as storage space, which is especially useful since there is no basement.
Kitchen: The stove and sink are not in their final positions yet – a cooking island is undesirable because of the extractor hood and impractical due to splashing.
Technical / Utility Room: Also serves as a pantry and should be filled with shelves up to the ceiling.
Children’s Rooms: Size should be adequate.
Bedroom: Almost too large, but necessary due to the large wardrobe and double bed.
Bathroom: The design is still at an early stage; for example, the shower is planned as a built-in enclosure without a cabin.
Terrace: Important to us, along with a covered area so we can leave items outside occasionally.
Garage, Carport: As large as possible! It should be a wooden carport, fully closed at the front with sectional doors, and open or closed at the rear as needed. We currently use our garage as a "second living room" and for storing garden tools and similar items. Due to the long car, space will be tight; likely the terrace will be slightly smaller and the carport deeper (or the roof overhang on the left extended). The additions on the far left are planned later as a garden shed or similar and are therefore not a fixed part of the house. The covered connection to the house is a must, so we can enter without getting wet. The lower part facing the street is purely for privacy and is not a solid wall.
Garden: We will build our greenhouse ourselves as we have it now.
House Design:
Planning by: Planner from a construction company; outdoor areas added by us.
What do you particularly like? Why?: The numerous outbuildings and large carport for space, the large living room with open kitchen (also for space). Also, the level access to the terrace (which we don’t have currently).
What do you dislike? Why?: The basement level feels a bit cramped (utility room/kitchen small), while the upper floor is very spacious, but so far this is the best solution.
Cost Estimate by Architect/Planner: $290,000 USD with a maximum of +10% overrun.
Insulation / Construction: Unfortunately, it is built only to the 2016 Energy Saving Ordinance (EnEV) standards; I would have preferred better insulation, but it is likely too expensive. The masonry consists of calcium silicate blocks (20 cm / 8 inches outside + 16 cm / 6 inches EPS (polystyrene) insulation boards).
Heating System: Ground-source heat pump (brine-water) with earth probe; gas connection would be too expensive and we do not want oil heating.
If you had to give up features / expansions
- Could you do without: At most one fewer children’s room; the rest should stay as is...
- Could you not do without: Everything? That would be difficult.
Why did the design turn out the way it is?
We reviewed suggestions from the planner, spent a weekend designing alternatives ourselves, and ultimately found the current compromise. It includes essentially all our wishes.
The design could have been better if the house orientation had been different; otherwise, the kitchen/terrace/dining area wouldn’t all have to be squeezed next to the carport. However, since the street is on the south side and the northern half of the plot cannot be built on, the house must be positioned as it is and the terrace on the south side to catch the sun. We do not want the carport on the east side, as that would place the house further toward the center of the plot and make the terrace fully visible from the neighboring house to the south.
A similar-sized building plot on the east side will be developed with another single-family urban villa.
What is the most important / fundamental question regarding the floor plan in 130 characters?
What do you think? What could be improved or is missing? Any concerns?
Upper Floor:
Outdoor Areas:
Positioned on the Plot:
Development Plan / Restrictions:
The plot may only be built on the southern half; otherwise, there are no particular restrictions.
Plot size: 900 square meters (approx. 30 x 30 meters / 98 x 98 feet)
Slope: No, only on the west side does the land slope down 3 meters (10 feet) toward the street at the end of the plot. On the north side, there is a retaining wall because the plot is about 2 meters (7 feet) above street level there. Therefore, access by vehicle is only possible from the south.
Clients’ Requirements
Style, Roof Shape, Building Type: A two-story urban villa with a pyramid hip roof (square hipped roof), since the upper floor has no sloped ceilings.
Basement: No basement, as it is too expensive, impractical, and involves additional construction risks.
Number of Occupants, Age: 2 adults (30 years old), 1 child (3 years old), with 1-2 more children planned.
Living Room: A large, open living area was important to us as this is where life happens. A computer corner is planned in the lower right corner since we spend more time at the computer than watching TV. We also work a lot from home and do not want to be confined to a separate room.
Fireplace: Yes.
Guest Room: Also used as storage space, which is especially useful since there is no basement.
Kitchen: The stove and sink are not in their final positions yet – a cooking island is undesirable because of the extractor hood and impractical due to splashing.
Technical / Utility Room: Also serves as a pantry and should be filled with shelves up to the ceiling.
Children’s Rooms: Size should be adequate.
Bedroom: Almost too large, but necessary due to the large wardrobe and double bed.
Bathroom: The design is still at an early stage; for example, the shower is planned as a built-in enclosure without a cabin.
Terrace: Important to us, along with a covered area so we can leave items outside occasionally.
Garage, Carport: As large as possible! It should be a wooden carport, fully closed at the front with sectional doors, and open or closed at the rear as needed. We currently use our garage as a "second living room" and for storing garden tools and similar items. Due to the long car, space will be tight; likely the terrace will be slightly smaller and the carport deeper (or the roof overhang on the left extended). The additions on the far left are planned later as a garden shed or similar and are therefore not a fixed part of the house. The covered connection to the house is a must, so we can enter without getting wet. The lower part facing the street is purely for privacy and is not a solid wall.
Garden: We will build our greenhouse ourselves as we have it now.
House Design:
Planning by: Planner from a construction company; outdoor areas added by us.
What do you particularly like? Why?: The numerous outbuildings and large carport for space, the large living room with open kitchen (also for space). Also, the level access to the terrace (which we don’t have currently).
What do you dislike? Why?: The basement level feels a bit cramped (utility room/kitchen small), while the upper floor is very spacious, but so far this is the best solution.
Cost Estimate by Architect/Planner: $290,000 USD with a maximum of +10% overrun.
Insulation / Construction: Unfortunately, it is built only to the 2016 Energy Saving Ordinance (EnEV) standards; I would have preferred better insulation, but it is likely too expensive. The masonry consists of calcium silicate blocks (20 cm / 8 inches outside + 16 cm / 6 inches EPS (polystyrene) insulation boards).
Heating System: Ground-source heat pump (brine-water) with earth probe; gas connection would be too expensive and we do not want oil heating.
If you had to give up features / expansions
- Could you do without: At most one fewer children’s room; the rest should stay as is...
- Could you not do without: Everything? That would be difficult.
Why did the design turn out the way it is?
We reviewed suggestions from the planner, spent a weekend designing alternatives ourselves, and ultimately found the current compromise. It includes essentially all our wishes.
The design could have been better if the house orientation had been different; otherwise, the kitchen/terrace/dining area wouldn’t all have to be squeezed next to the carport. However, since the street is on the south side and the northern half of the plot cannot be built on, the house must be positioned as it is and the terrace on the south side to catch the sun. We do not want the carport on the east side, as that would place the house further toward the center of the plot and make the terrace fully visible from the neighboring house to the south.
A similar-sized building plot on the east side will be developed with another single-family urban villa.
What is the most important / fundamental question regarding the floor plan in 130 characters?
What do you think? What could be improved or is missing? Any concerns?
C
Changeling28 Aug 2017 08:37Sigh... We have to go back to the drawing board. Yesterday, we measured the plot again in detail – on the left (west) side of the property, about 4-5 meters (13-16 feet) are unusable because it slopes steeply down toward the street. So, if we want a double carport on the east side (at least 6-7 meters / 20-23 feet), some space between the house and carport (1-2 meters / 3-6 feet), the house itself (10 meters / 33 feet), and then a terrace (4-5 meters / 13-16 feet), we’re talking about 21-24 meters (69-79 feet) out of 26 meters (85 feet) of “usable” width. And this means, after inspecting the site in person:
You would be sitting on the terrace in complete shade from the trees from midday onward, almost directly facing the street. I took a few photos I can share if anyone is interested.
That just won’t work, plus the house would end up mostly in the western half of the usable area, casting its shadow over the entire space behind the house and carport, which in this position would cover more than half of the garden. It’s not a pleasant prospect.
So we will have to put the carport on the west side after all (we have to/want to). We are currently working on a new floor plan and exploring whether we can move the carport closer to the southern boundary. That would give us more space and sunlight on the terrace and inside the house. We’ll see.
You would be sitting on the terrace in complete shade from the trees from midday onward, almost directly facing the street. I took a few photos I can share if anyone is interested.
That just won’t work, plus the house would end up mostly in the western half of the usable area, casting its shadow over the entire space behind the house and carport, which in this position would cover more than half of the garden. It’s not a pleasant prospect.
So we will have to put the carport on the west side after all (we have to/want to). We are currently working on a new floor plan and exploring whether we can move the carport closer to the southern boundary. That would give us more space and sunlight on the terrace and inside the house. We’ll see.
C
Changeling28 Aug 2017 08:56I had roughly sketched this out before, but without any measurements (and oriented to the north):
The plot measures almost exactly 30 x 30 meters (about 98 x 98 feet), although as mentioned, the left 4–5 meters (13–16 feet) are not usable (the trees are also located there).
I will upload some photos tonight and revise the sketch of the building envelope if it is still too imprecise.
Changeling schrieb:
The building envelope for the house is unfortunately quite tight:
The plot measures almost exactly 30 x 30 meters (about 98 x 98 feet), although as mentioned, the left 4–5 meters (13–16 feet) are not usable (the trees are also located there).
I will upload some photos tonight and revise the sketch of the building envelope if it is still too imprecise.
C
Changeling28 Aug 2017 11:19I will try to create a sketch this evening or expand the existing sketch from the construction company.
Here are some photos that might help illustrate the challenge. I have added a small overview of the viewing angles to make it clearer what is shown. It is about 4:30 PM.
View from the southwest corner facing north, showing the slope. The road is planned to be built on the right and will initially go steeply uphill.
View on the west side of the property looking north. If the carport were on the east side, it would look like this:
There would not be much garden left, mainly on the north and east sides. The trees on the left are quite tall; they probably need to be trimmed anyway (they are willows).
For completeness, here is the view south towards the old building, which partly contains apartments and partly is still under construction:
If the carport were on the east side, the house would only extend up to the dirt mound (see previous photo, I am standing on the theoretical terrace).
If the carport were on the west side, the house would end at the tree on the left, roughly flush with the projecting edge of the old building.
Here are some photos that might help illustrate the challenge. I have added a small overview of the viewing angles to make it clearer what is shown. It is about 4:30 PM.
View from the southwest corner facing north, showing the slope. The road is planned to be built on the right and will initially go steeply uphill.
View on the west side of the property looking north. If the carport were on the east side, it would look like this:
There would not be much garden left, mainly on the north and east sides. The trees on the left are quite tall; they probably need to be trimmed anyway (they are willows).
For completeness, here is the view south towards the old building, which partly contains apartments and partly is still under construction:
If the carport were on the east side, the house would only extend up to the dirt mound (see previous photo, I am standing on the theoretical terrace).
If the carport were on the west side, the house would end at the tree on the left, roughly flush with the projecting edge of the old building.
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