ᐅ Architect-designed house floor plan with a recessed upper level

Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 485 sqm (5220 sq ft)
Slope: No slope on the property, but the site will be raised about 1 m (3 ft) above street level due to terrain adjustment
Floor Area Ratio: 0.4
Building Coverage Ratio: Not specified
Building envelope, building line, and boundary: See plan
Peripheral building: Within standard guidelines
Number of parking spaces: TBD
Number of floors: 2
Roof type: Flat roof as specified by the development plan
Architectural style: Modern
Orientation: Garden facing west
Maximum heights/limits: Max building height: 10.50 m (34 ft)
Additional requirements: According to the development plan, no fences or hedges are allowed in the front yard. However, our plot is on the edge of the development area along an existing street. On the opposite side of the street (outside the development area), most houses have fences, so exemption from this regulation might be possible.

Homeowners’ Requirements
Style, roof shape, building type: Modern, cubic
Basement, floors: Partial basement, ground floor, upper floor, penthouse floor
Number of people, ages: M 35, F 34, planning for 1-2 children
Office: M 100% home office, F 40-60% home office, two separate offices needed
Overnight guests per year: few
Open or closed layout: open
Traditional or modern construction: modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island: open, kitchen island
Number of dining seats: TBD
Fireplace: no
Music/sound wall: no
Balcony, roof terrace: roof terrace
Garage, carport: somewhat larger single garage, no double garage needed
Vegetable garden, greenhouse: no
Other wishes/special features/daily routine, including reasons for preferences:

• Possibly a sauna in the penthouse floor. If so, a bathroom should be relocated there and the penthouse floor slightly enlarged. Otherwise, the penthouse floor will serve as a study/guest room.
• Originally no basement was planned, only a utility room on the upper floor. Due to terrain raising, a partial basement now seems reasonable. Currently considering replacing the utility room with a gallery/open space.

House Design
Planner: Architect

What do you particularly like? Why?
Overall, the layout meets our expectations well, for example modern exterior, lots of natural light, large kitchen.

What do you dislike? Why?

• The living room is located at the front as per the architect’s recommendation, placing the kitchen towards the garden. The idea was to protect the living area from street views with a hedge or similar. However, fences or hedges in the front yard are prohibited (see above), so adequate privacy seems difficult. On the other hand, the house is raised relative to the street (finished floor level 30.60 m (100.4 ft), street: 29.50 m (96.8 ft)), which may provide some privacy. I’m unsure if the architect fully considered the fence restriction. Currently, we are thinking about swapping the kitchen and living room.
• The lounge area was not explicitly requested by us and seems like an afterthought to use extra space.
• The dressing room is somewhat oversized.
• The entrance from the garage into the house feels too “American” and might be removed. This would mean a longer path from the garage to the kitchen for unloading groceries.

Price estimate by architect: €725,000 (construction + incidental building costs)
Personal budget limit for house including fittings: TBD
Preferred heating system: District heating (mandated)

If you have to give up on something, which details/extensions
-can you forego: lounge, gallery, sauna, possibly one child’s room
-can’t you forego: two offices (one in the penthouse floor, one on the upper floor)

Why is the design the way it is now?
This is the architect’s first draft, which we see as a basis for further revisions.

What is the key/basic question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
What general feedback do you have for us to bring into the next discussion with the architect (besides points under “dislikes”)? I will post the next revision of the floor plan here.

Apologies for the rough dimensions. I added them myself and they are not exact to the last decimal.