ᐅ Floor plan of a single-family home with a daylight basement on a hillside?
Created on: 24 Nov 2013 21:37
D
Dipl-WiING
Hello, as I mentioned before on the forum, due to the sloped site (and the fact that we need a basement anyway) we will probably omit the upper floor.
Now we plan to develop the basement as a fully functional living area with a large glass front. We spent several hours working on the floor plan and wanted to ask an architect for their opinion, but unfortunately all three architects I contacted are currently too busy with other projects.
So I’m asking for your help.
It was important to us that you can go directly from the ground floor down the stairs to the terrace, and otherwise to have as few square meters wasted on hallways as possible. The ground floor (above) is mostly open except for a small guest toilet and an office.
The staircase is separated by a large built-in wall cabinet. The terrace above partly extends the carport and partly will have a wooden structure to bring the terrace size to about 12–14m² (130–150 sq ft). The house is oriented southwest.
Thank you very much for any advice!
Pit
Now we plan to develop the basement as a fully functional living area with a large glass front. We spent several hours working on the floor plan and wanted to ask an architect for their opinion, but unfortunately all three architects I contacted are currently too busy with other projects.
So I’m asking for your help.
It was important to us that you can go directly from the ground floor down the stairs to the terrace, and otherwise to have as few square meters wasted on hallways as possible. The ground floor (above) is mostly open except for a small guest toilet and an office.
The staircase is separated by a large built-in wall cabinet. The terrace above partly extends the carport and partly will have a wooden structure to bring the terrace size to about 12–14m² (130–150 sq ft). The house is oriented southwest.
Thank you very much for any advice!
Pit
J
Justifier27 Nov 2013 08:54Oh, and since I can’t find the edit function right now:
The shower in the guest bathroom (that’s the small square in the top left, right?) seems MUCH too small in the drawing. According to the wall dimensions shown, it can only be a maximum of 70cm (28 inches), or probably even less, right?
The shower in the guest bathroom (that’s the small square in the top left, right?) seems MUCH too small in the drawing. According to the wall dimensions shown, it can only be a maximum of 70cm (28 inches), or probably even less, right?
W
Wanderdüne27 Nov 2013 09:12You are stubbornly holding on to the staircase..., which is not beneficial for the design.
One of the main issues with the last draft was, among many others, the dark hallway in the basement. Now, in the revision, it is completely dark—was that intentional?
As mentioned before, the staircase is one of the most important elements in a multi-story building, please take that into account.
The basement remains non-negotiable. Should the bathroom really be accessible only from the bedroom? That also has disadvantages and definitely requires careful planning. Please furnish all rooms, especially the bedroom.
So far, this concerns only a floor plan with one elevation view. However, a complete design needs to consider the entire property, including orientation, views, neighboring buildings, legal aspects, etc.
With a different building shape, you will probably achieve more.
In other words, your approach is suboptimal.
If you continue without a good planner—ideally an architect experienced in hillside houses—and present a poor minimal compromise after many attempts, a builder may praise you highly and just put the house up. But for a once-in-a-lifetime build, it simply can be done better.
Regards,
HB
One of the main issues with the last draft was, among many others, the dark hallway in the basement. Now, in the revision, it is completely dark—was that intentional?
As mentioned before, the staircase is one of the most important elements in a multi-story building, please take that into account.
The basement remains non-negotiable. Should the bathroom really be accessible only from the bedroom? That also has disadvantages and definitely requires careful planning. Please furnish all rooms, especially the bedroom.
So far, this concerns only a floor plan with one elevation view. However, a complete design needs to consider the entire property, including orientation, views, neighboring buildings, legal aspects, etc.
With a different building shape, you will probably achieve more.
In other words, your approach is suboptimal.
If you continue without a good planner—ideally an architect experienced in hillside houses—and present a poor minimal compromise after many attempts, a builder may praise you highly and just put the house up. But for a once-in-a-lifetime build, it simply can be done better.
Regards,
HB
J
Justifier27 Nov 2013 09:42That just shows how different tastes can be. For me, having bathroom access only through the bedroom would be the only option.
W
Wanderdüne27 Nov 2013 10:06Justifier schrieb:
This shows how different tastes can be. For me, nothing else than a bathroom access through the bedroom would be an option.Everyone has their own requirements; mine are:
- Bedroom with morning sunlight
- Access near the foot of the bed without a visible door
- Separate walk-in closet with entry and use that does not disturb the person sleeping
- Bathroom that can be accessed and used without disturbing the sleeper, but still close by.
And preferably all of this in a separate wing or connected to a hallway
WD
To be honest, I find the floor plan quite unsettling.
You have to squeeze past the car to get into the house. Don’t you like having guests, or why is the entrance area not more welcoming?
As soon as you enter the house, you almost fall down the stairs, and on the other side there’s a huge closet acting as a room divider. I would prefer a wall there—if only for structural reasons.
The pantry is a joke! It’s only 60 cm (24 inches) deep. Put two long rulers together, and you’ll see how small that is. What are you supposed to put in there?
The rooms in the basement are all long and narrow. The bathroom is huge. What do you plan to put in the middle? Or do you want to dance there?
I assume that a staircase placed nicely in the center of the house would create much more attractive rooms.
You have to squeeze past the car to get into the house. Don’t you like having guests, or why is the entrance area not more welcoming?
As soon as you enter the house, you almost fall down the stairs, and on the other side there’s a huge closet acting as a room divider. I would prefer a wall there—if only for structural reasons.
The pantry is a joke! It’s only 60 cm (24 inches) deep. Put two long rulers together, and you’ll see how small that is. What are you supposed to put in there?
The rooms in the basement are all long and narrow. The bathroom is huge. What do you plan to put in the middle? Or do you want to dance there?
I assume that a staircase placed nicely in the center of the house would create much more attractive rooms.
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