ᐅ Large Dormers or High Knee Walls?

Hi,

We were almost finished with our planning, but now, thanks to a fortunate development, we can build higher than previously expected.
For our attic space, the question is whether to choose a knee wall with an interior clear height of 60 cm (24 inches) featuring large dormers (covering half the facade) and a roof pitch of about 35°, as originally planned, or to raise the knee wall to 160 cm (63 inches) with a roof angle of 24° without dormers.

Since the eaves line must remain continuous, dormers cannot be implemented with the higher knee wall.
Due to area limitations for living and ancillary space, we have to construct the attic rooms accordingly.
Our builder cannot install strip windows in the 160 cm knee wall option.
Because of the continuous eaves, in the dormer version the knee wall must be lowered to 60 cm (24 inches) to fit large windows with a sill height of 1 m (39 inches).

On the children's room side, there is a nice view to the southeast, which speaks in favor of the dormer option.
In the master bedroom, the higher knee wall would provide more headroom above the bed. We would not position the bed as shown in the attached floor plan, but against the walls by the hallway and the end wall.
Additionally, the attic storage spaces would be more accessible with standing height on the ridge side. If it becomes legally possible to convert these storage areas into rooms in the future, the higher knee wall would make them much more usable.

What do you think?

Note: In the attached section, the dormer version has a slightly lower ridge height (the latest status before the new information). We can raise up to a clear height of 3.40 m (11 ft 2 in) under the ridge. So, either knee wall 60 cm (24 inches) with roof pitch 35°, or knee wall 160 cm (63 inches) with roof pitch 24°.

8aElProfe schrieb:

In the master bedroom, a higher knee wall would provide more headroom around the bed. We wouldn’t place the bed as shown in the attached floor plan, but rather along the walls facing the hallway and the gable end.

However, I doubt you’ll be able to comfortably move around the bed in that position.

In my opinion, a knee wall height of 160 millimeters (6.3 inches) is not suitable. It’s too low to install functional windows, and with a roof pitch of 35°, there will still be a considerable area where you cannot stand upright.

By the way, the 2-meter (6 ft 7 in) line is missing in the floor plan.

For a 60-centimeter (24-inch) knee wall, I consider the bedroom width of 280 centimeters (110 inches) too narrow. You have to account for a bed length of about 210 centimeters (83 inches), leaving a maximum passage space of 65–68 centimeters (26–27 inches). However, I fear that with a 60-centimeter (24-inch) knee wall and a 35° roof pitch, you won’t be able to place the bed directly against the left wall in the plan without compromising usability.

Yes, the bed arrangement is a compromise, and the bed is accessed at the foot end. Alternatively, we could turn the headboard toward the hallway, so the person with the larger bladder would sleep facing the headboard.
I know it might sound a bit risky, but we have carefully considered this and have had to comply with so many regulations and restrictions regarding shape and size that this was ultimately one of the compromises we had to accept. When we’re too old for this bed position, hopefully the children will have moved out, and we will either move to another room or redesign the upper floor (combine bathrooms, possibly merge children’s bedrooms).

Hardly any of the regular visitors I know here will be able to help you, maybe @Solveigh or @Mellina (?), simply due to a lack of knowledge about Swiss building regulations. In Germany, a design like the one drawn would already be hopeless because the gutter could not legally serve as the eaves, the roof structure would extend over about half of the eave length, and the "dormers" would have to be considered as true cross-gables. In this respect, I would also expect a knee wall height of 220cm (87 inches) rather than 60cm (24 inches).

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That doesn’t really matter. Legally, we know what we can and are allowed to do. The dormers are permitted to extend over half the length of the façade, but the eaves and ridge must not be interrupted. Without dormers, we cannot raise the knee wall higher than 160 cm (63 inches), as otherwise the pitch of the gable roof would become too shallow.

So, we would primarily appreciate architectural feedback regarding the consideration between the two described options.

8aElProfe schrieb:

Unfortunately, our home builder cannot implement light strips in the 160cm (63 inches) knee wall.

What do you mean? Would that mean the windows currently drawn on the eaves side would no longer be included?

By the way: try to position the closets in the children’s rooms behind the doors. So, shorten the children’s bathroom (the front section is unnecessary anyway), then move the door of the children’s room so that there is 60 or better 70cm (24 or better 28 inches) of closet space behind the door. The same applies to the children’s room at the bottom of the plan. This will visually enhance the rooms and make them appear larger.

Are you not planning any showers in the house? I think a bathtub that can also be used for showering is a good solution in the children’s bathroom.

I would revise the master bathroom again. And yes, climbing over the bed at the footboard is something you do on vacation, but not for an entire year or your whole life.