ᐅ New Construction of a 155 sqm Duplex – Orientation and Floor Plan Considerations
Created on: 28 Aug 2024 10:25
G
guemez189
Hello everyone,
Here is some information along with the questions below:
Development Plan / Restrictions
710 sqm (7,624 sq ft) total, 355 sqm (3,820 sq ft) per half
1.5 stories
Existing detached house with garden facing north
Neighboring buildings also have gardens facing north
2
Knee wall height 1.1 m (3 ft 7 in)
Client Requirements
Semi-detached houses as a legally two-family house (heat pump & heating room combined)
Basement + ground floor + upper floor + attic floor
2 adults plus 1 child
Currently, there is a detached house on the plot that will be demolished and the plot divided.
House Design
Who created the design:
- Architect’s plan
- Currently planned so that the entrance is from the back side, allowing the living area to face south and the main terrace to the south as well—where the street is. The entire floor plan is oriented around this, so the building is placed at the rear building line.
- Neighbors' objection: house is not aligned with the street line, causing mutual shading and the garden facing the street is less attractive; hence, the proposal to move the house to the front building line and change the floor plan with the entrance at the front or on the side in the middle.
We are now unsure: basically, we like sunny spaces and want light in the living area. If we move the house to the front building line, the main terrace and the "larger" garden would face north, like all the other houses on the street. This is acceptable to us, but it bothers us that the floor plan would have to be completely changed and that we would need a layout where the living area still faces south and the kitchen/dining faces the back (or another solution). That is why there is also the proposal for a side entrance in the middle. If the entrance is moved to the south, toward the street, the sunny side is partly lost.
Now several questions:
1. Who has experience with a living room facing north—is it really that bad?
2. Does anyone have ideas on how to design a floor plan that makes good use of both north and south orientations?
3. We are very open to further ideas.
The floor plan and site plan are attached.
If I missed any information, please feel free to ask. 🙂
Thank you all!
Here is some information along with the questions below:
Development Plan / Restrictions
710 sqm (7,624 sq ft) total, 355 sqm (3,820 sq ft) per half
1.5 stories
Existing detached house with garden facing north
Neighboring buildings also have gardens facing north
2
Knee wall height 1.1 m (3 ft 7 in)
Client Requirements
Semi-detached houses as a legally two-family house (heat pump & heating room combined)
Basement + ground floor + upper floor + attic floor
2 adults plus 1 child
Currently, there is a detached house on the plot that will be demolished and the plot divided.
House Design
Who created the design:
- Architect’s plan
- Currently planned so that the entrance is from the back side, allowing the living area to face south and the main terrace to the south as well—where the street is. The entire floor plan is oriented around this, so the building is placed at the rear building line.
- Neighbors' objection: house is not aligned with the street line, causing mutual shading and the garden facing the street is less attractive; hence, the proposal to move the house to the front building line and change the floor plan with the entrance at the front or on the side in the middle.
We are now unsure: basically, we like sunny spaces and want light in the living area. If we move the house to the front building line, the main terrace and the "larger" garden would face north, like all the other houses on the street. This is acceptable to us, but it bothers us that the floor plan would have to be completely changed and that we would need a layout where the living area still faces south and the kitchen/dining faces the back (or another solution). That is why there is also the proposal for a side entrance in the middle. If the entrance is moved to the south, toward the street, the sunny side is partly lost.
Now several questions:
1. Who has experience with a living room facing north—is it really that bad?
2. Does anyone have ideas on how to design a floor plan that makes good use of both north and south orientations?
3. We are very open to further ideas.
The floor plan and site plan are attached.
If I missed any information, please feel free to ask. 🙂
Thank you all!
G
guemez18929 Aug 2024 13:03hanghaus2023 schrieb:
In my opinion, it’s not a good idea to avoid separating the double party wall.
The heavy wall transmits sound slightly, but it is noticeable.
How should the energy costs be divided? The decision not to separate the wall is due to cost reasons and the architect’s opinion that one shared wall performs almost as well as two separate walls.
It will come down to a heat pump with separate meters and, if possible, separate photovoltaic systems.
G
guemez18929 Aug 2024 13:0411ant schrieb:
Why won’t it happen? Point symmetry instead of axial symmetry is also an option. So, it won’t happen that the two halves are not aligned; maybe I expressed myself unclearly.
What exactly is point symmetry?
guemez189 schrieb:
Separating the living room and kitchen would lead to the layout shown in post 13, right? If you look at it as a rough sketch, yes. As I said before: the staircase determines the layout!
guemez189 schrieb:
I never said it wasn't acceptable, I just wanted to understand why you prefer the swap. I can understand the reasons and would actually be open to the exchange. Well, you ask a lot of questions, and that’s okay and good. But you also need to come out of your shell sometimes and say what you like or don’t like yourself. This isn’t about praise or our opinion; it’s about your house.
guemez189 schrieb:
will switch to a heat pump Where will the outdoor unit be placed? Or will it be an indoor unit?
guemez189 schrieb:
What is point symmetry?It is a reflection about two axes, meaning the adjacent half is not "mirrored" but "rotated 180°."https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
G
guemez18929 Aug 2024 14:08ypg schrieb:
If you look at it as a rough sketch, yes. As I said before: the stairs determine the floor plan!
Well, you’re asking a lot of questions, which is fine and good. But you also need to step out of your shell and say what you like or don’t like. This isn’t about praise or our opinions, it’s about your house.
Where will the outdoor unit be placed? Or will it be an indoor unit? Overall, we like the floor plan I uploaded in the first post, including the rear building boundary.
However, new input (the north side not being so bad after all, aligning with the neighbors) raised the question of whether we gave up on the north side too quickly or on orienting the house to the north. The problem is that so far we don’t like any floor plan because we want to include both north and south if we have two terraces there. Simply continuing to use the previous floor plan and moving to the front building boundary doesn’t solve the “problem” with living space on the north side. Having the entrance on the south side reduces good natural light, and we have not yet found a good floor plan that places the entrance on the middle of the side, at least not one that works for us.
The outdoor unit is planned either as an indoor unit or placed near the carports; this still needs to be discussed with the heating engineer.
Your initial floor plan also included access to the north terrace from the hallway/entrance area. So, I don’t understand what is supposedly wrong with Yvonne’s floor plan idea.
I appreciate that you keep responding to our questions, but unfortunately, I still often have more questions afterwards.
Have you had a chance to look at the simulated sun position on your property by now? It actually looks great, even in the north garden. Of course, there’s no direct sunlight in the north-facing rooms, but there is still quite a lot in the garden because (if I’m correct with my research and I’m not posting the image here due to privacy) there are no buildings directly to the east or west of it. The only shadow in the north is cast by your house, which can’t be entirely bad.
It seems to me that you might be approaching this the wrong way, based on incorrect assumptions or thoughts.
Well, you’re probably already thinking it over yourselves. So I’ll wait and see what conclusion you come to regarding the orientation of the rooms.
I appreciate that you keep responding to our questions, but unfortunately, I still often have more questions afterwards.
Have you had a chance to look at the simulated sun position on your property by now? It actually looks great, even in the north garden. Of course, there’s no direct sunlight in the north-facing rooms, but there is still quite a lot in the garden because (if I’m correct with my research and I’m not posting the image here due to privacy) there are no buildings directly to the east or west of it. The only shadow in the north is cast by your house, which can’t be entirely bad.
It seems to me that you might be approaching this the wrong way, based on incorrect assumptions or thoughts.
Well, you’re probably already thinking it over yourselves. So I’ll wait and see what conclusion you come to regarding the orientation of the rooms.
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