ᐅ Single-family home, approximately 160 m², Bauhaus style; first design draft based on our requirements
Created on: 23 Aug 2019 22:03
N
Notstrom
Hello everyone,
we've been looking forward to this for a long time, and now we can finally share our first draft floor plan/design for discussion. We’re very curious to hear your feedback.
Those of you who have seen my thread before (https://www.hausbau-forum.de/threads/efh-Bauhausstil-Wohnfläche-180m-mit-Doppelgarage.31853/) know what to expect, and here comes the gem.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 530m² (about 5,700 sq ft)
Slope: No
Site coverage ratio (Grundflächenzahl): see screenshot
Floor area ratio (Geschossflächenzahl): see screenshot
Building envelope, building line, and boundaries: see screenshot
Edge development: see screenshot
Number of parking spaces: double garage
Number of floors: 2
Roof style: flat roof
Architectural style: Bauhaus
Orientation
Maximum height/limitations
Other requirements
The green highlighted area represents our plot => Parcel 8479
Homeowner Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: Bauhaus style, flat roof
Basement, floors: Basement yes, ground floor, upper floor
Number of residents, ages: 3 people, potentially 4: 33, 30, 2 years old
Space requirements on ground and upper floors: Initially planned 180 m² (about 1,940 sq ft) on two stories, now reduced to 160 m² (about 1,720 sq ft) after feedback, with the ground floor slightly larger than the upper floor, around 75–85 m² (810–915 sq ft)
Office: Family use or home office? Yes, in the basement (guest room <-> office)
Overnight guests per year: Hard to say, probably about 10 times per year with 2–5 guests each time
Open or closed architecture: Rather open
Conservative or modern construction: Rather modern
Open kitchen, cooking island: Island
Number of dining spaces: 1
Fireplace: Yes
Music/sound system wall: Our soundbar is sufficient
Balcony, roof terrace: Maybe, undecided (Architect’s comment: How often do you really go out for a beer on the balcony/roof terrace instead of the nice terrace on the ground floor?)
Garage, carport: Double garage, possibly single garage with carport
Kitchen garden, greenhouse: Small but nice (a few tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchinis…)
House Design
Planning by: Architect
What do you particularly like? Why? We like the architecture with the two offset rectangles, though we wonder if the extra cost (no price estimate yet) justifies this. We believe it is structurally more challenging than a simple "cube."
What don’t you like? Why? The size of the bedroom/walk-in closet/children’s room. It feels like the bedroom is missing 2–5 m² (about 20–55 sq ft), as is the second children’s room.
Price estimate according to architect/planner: The initial draft was around 550,000 EUR
Personal price limit for the house, including fixtures: 620,000 EUR
Preferred heating technology: Indifferent, but tendency toward heat pump.
If you had to give up something, which details/finishes
- You can give up: the current shape (nice but a cube would also do)
- You cannot give up: space
Why is the design the way it is now? For example:
Standard design from the planner? This is the second design resulting from last week’s discussion with us, and we find it very successful.
Which wishes were implemented by the architect? Absolutely, plus the idea he had to move the kitchen during development. The guest room has now moved to the basement, allowing more space on the ground floor (beforehand, it felt quite cramped and “squeezed”).
What makes it especially good or bad in your opinion? The architecture
...and now I’ll leave you alone with our house
Upper floor plan:
Basement:
we've been looking forward to this for a long time, and now we can finally share our first draft floor plan/design for discussion. We’re very curious to hear your feedback.
Those of you who have seen my thread before (https://www.hausbau-forum.de/threads/efh-Bauhausstil-Wohnfläche-180m-mit-Doppelgarage.31853/) know what to expect, and here comes the gem.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 530m² (about 5,700 sq ft)
Slope: No
Site coverage ratio (Grundflächenzahl): see screenshot
Floor area ratio (Geschossflächenzahl): see screenshot
Building envelope, building line, and boundaries: see screenshot
Edge development: see screenshot
Number of parking spaces: double garage
Number of floors: 2
Roof style: flat roof
Architectural style: Bauhaus
Orientation
Maximum height/limitations
Other requirements
The green highlighted area represents our plot => Parcel 8479
Homeowner Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: Bauhaus style, flat roof
Basement, floors: Basement yes, ground floor, upper floor
Number of residents, ages: 3 people, potentially 4: 33, 30, 2 years old
Space requirements on ground and upper floors: Initially planned 180 m² (about 1,940 sq ft) on two stories, now reduced to 160 m² (about 1,720 sq ft) after feedback, with the ground floor slightly larger than the upper floor, around 75–85 m² (810–915 sq ft)
Office: Family use or home office? Yes, in the basement (guest room <-> office)
Overnight guests per year: Hard to say, probably about 10 times per year with 2–5 guests each time
Open or closed architecture: Rather open
Conservative or modern construction: Rather modern
Open kitchen, cooking island: Island
Number of dining spaces: 1
Fireplace: Yes
Music/sound system wall: Our soundbar is sufficient
Balcony, roof terrace: Maybe, undecided (Architect’s comment: How often do you really go out for a beer on the balcony/roof terrace instead of the nice terrace on the ground floor?)
Garage, carport: Double garage, possibly single garage with carport
Kitchen garden, greenhouse: Small but nice (a few tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchinis…)
House Design
Planning by: Architect
What do you particularly like? Why? We like the architecture with the two offset rectangles, though we wonder if the extra cost (no price estimate yet) justifies this. We believe it is structurally more challenging than a simple "cube."
What don’t you like? Why? The size of the bedroom/walk-in closet/children’s room. It feels like the bedroom is missing 2–5 m² (about 20–55 sq ft), as is the second children’s room.
Price estimate according to architect/planner: The initial draft was around 550,000 EUR
Personal price limit for the house, including fixtures: 620,000 EUR
Preferred heating technology: Indifferent, but tendency toward heat pump.
If you had to give up something, which details/finishes
- You can give up: the current shape (nice but a cube would also do)
- You cannot give up: space
Why is the design the way it is now? For example:
Standard design from the planner? This is the second design resulting from last week’s discussion with us, and we find it very successful.
Which wishes were implemented by the architect? Absolutely, plus the idea he had to move the kitchen during development. The guest room has now moved to the basement, allowing more space on the ground floor (beforehand, it felt quite cramped and “squeezed”).
What makes it especially good or bad in your opinion? The architecture
...and now I’ll leave you alone with our house
Upper floor plan:
Basement:
The living room just can’t feel cozy. It’s also a matter for two children which route they take in the evening.That was my immediate thought as well. What advantage does the current staircase layout offer? Was it chosen because of the basement floor plan? I see the disadvantage that the children and any guests basically have to walk straight through the living room at any time of day and especially at night to get to their rooms. Even a detour through the dining area only makes this slightly better. I don’t imagine this being comfortable for either side.
Turning the staircase doesn’t help much either, as the basement stairs in that location are also not ideal.
The terrace access is inconvenient, if I interpret the sliding door directions correctly, since you still have to pass by the dining table from the kitchen.
I find the cloakroom/entrance area possibly offers too little storage for the overall size, yet the space there still doesn’t feel generous.
The terrace access is inconvenient, if I interpret the sliding door directions correctly, since you still have to pass by the dining table from the kitchen.
I find the cloakroom/entrance area possibly offers too little storage for the overall size, yet the space there still doesn’t feel generous.
First of all, many thanks for the great suggestions. Some of these ideas hadn’t even crossed our minds.
The comment about the living room size is valid. We also think it’s a bit “small.” How could it be made larger? The suggestion regarding the guest WC is a good point too, but swapping it with the cloakroom would be a step backward in the design. We specifically arranged it that way based on the idea “dirty boots in, clean out.”
Wall thickness noted. The light wells in the basement only border the terrace in one spot, so it shouldn’t be too disruptive, right?
Thank you. We’re looking forward to your feedback!
That’s an interesting comment. You like them but wouldn’t want them yourself. May I ask why? What strikes me is that these architectural elements significantly influence the interior spaces and can make layout planning more difficult.
Here is the upper floor with dimensions.
If we rotate the living room setup by 90 degrees, the TV wall would be right in the hallway. That’s awkward too, isn’t it?
We have also considered the two entrances to the living room, but isn’t that a consequence of the open floor plan?
What do you mean by the bathroom being “poorly furnished”? That when entering the bathroom, the toilet is directly in view?
Yes, due to groundwater levels, the architect has to raise the entrance somewhat.
We don’t understand. Could you give examples?
What would be your alternative suggestion for the master bedroom then?
This is the classic chicken-and-egg problem. We would need to increase the total area and then again approach 180m2, which in this community has generally been considered more than necessary.
Noted.
There is no clear advantage in the stair orientation, that’s true. We’ll see if it gets changed in the second draft (the cube but with “the same floor plan”) – that’s on the agenda.
The terrace area is designed so that we have a kind of “wrap-around” terrace on the southwest side of the lot. That’s a good point, though. The kitchen was originally where the living room is now, so this was to allow direct access from kitchen to terrace.
kaho674 schrieb:
The living room seems a bit small for the size of the house, but it’s still workable. I would consider moving the door to the guest WC on the ground floor to the entrance area, as otherwise it doesn’t feel private enough.
The comment about the living room size is valid. We also think it’s a bit “small.” How could it be made larger? The suggestion regarding the guest WC is a good point too, but swapping it with the cloakroom would be a step backward in the design. We specifically arranged it that way based on the idea “dirty boots in, clean out.”
kaho674 schrieb:
Having children’s rooms next to the bedroom is always a tricky issue – I would make the wall a bit thicker. Also applies to the child’s room next to the bathroom.
I would divide basement room 2. Not every basement room necessarily needs a light well. It really disrupts the terrace. Not worth it to me.
Otherwise, pretty good.
Wall thickness noted. The light wells in the basement only border the terrace in one spot, so it shouldn’t be too disruptive, right?
11ant schrieb:
I will take a closer look tomorrow – in the meantime, thanks for the exemplary linking between the original and floor plan discussions!
Thank you. We’re looking forward to your feedback!
ypg schrieb:
I like those overhangs but wouldn’t want them on my own house.
That’s an interesting comment. You like them but wouldn’t want them yourself. May I ask why? What strikes me is that these architectural elements significantly influence the interior spaces and can make layout planning more difficult.
ypg schrieb:
Dimensions for the upper floor would be interesting.
Here is the upper floor with dimensions.
ypg schrieb:
What I don’t like: the living room furniture arrangement feels uncomfortable. Rotating it 90 degrees counterclockwise would already make it feel more cozy. Still, be careful with two entrances – the living room might simply not be cozy. It’s also tricky for two children deciding which way to go in the evening.
The bathroom is poorly furnished. It’s worth investing in planning here now.
If we rotate the living room setup by 90 degrees, the TV wall would be right in the hallway. That’s awkward too, isn’t it?
We have also considered the two entrances to the living room, but isn’t that a consequence of the open floor plan?
What do you mean by the bathroom being “poorly furnished”? That when entering the bathroom, the toilet is directly in view?
tomtom79 schrieb:
You have a flat lot but build four steps at the door?
Yes, due to groundwater levels, the architect has to raise the entrance somewhat.
tomtom79 schrieb:
There are still many rough spots on the upper floor.
We don’t understand. Could you give examples?
tomtom79 schrieb:
Better turn one of the bedrooms originally planned as a master bedroom into a child’s room.
What would be your alternative suggestion for the master bedroom then?
tomtom79 schrieb:
The bathroom could use a few more square meters, especially around the bathtub and the door.
This is the classic chicken-and-egg problem. We would need to increase the total area and then again approach 180m2, which in this community has generally been considered more than necessary.
tomtom79 schrieb:
Plan a sliding door between kitchen and hallway.
Noted.
Chiloe schrieb:
I thought the same immediately. What advantage does the current stair orientation offer? Is it chosen because of the basement layout? I see the disadvantage that children and any visitors basically have to cross the living room at any time of day and especially at night to get to their rooms. Even a detour through the dining room doesn’t significantly improve that. I don’t imagine that being pleasant for either party.
There is no clear advantage in the stair orientation, that’s true. We’ll see if it gets changed in the second draft (the cube but with “the same floor plan”) – that’s on the agenda.
kbt09 schrieb:
The terrace access seems awkward if I understand the sliding door directions correctly, because you still have to go past the table from the kitchen.
The terrace area is designed so that we have a kind of “wrap-around” terrace on the southwest side of the lot. That’s a good point, though. The kitchen was originally where the living room is now, so this was to allow direct access from kitchen to terrace.
Notstrom schrieb:
The size of the living room is a valid point. We also find it a bit "small." How could it be made larger? My first thought would be something like this:
To compensate, I would probably reduce the size of the kitchen/dining area slightly and shift it towards the bottom of the plan.
This would also create more space for child 2’s room. However, the offset to the upper floor would need to be completely reconsidered. At that point, you might as well start from scratch.
Notstrom schrieb:
The comment about the guest bathroom is a good point as well, but swapping it with the wardrobe would be a step backward in the design. We placed it intentionally with the idea of “come in with muddy boots and leave clean.”Swap? I didn’t actually say that. The fact remains, your living room is very “public.” If the bathroom door is right there as well, the restroom becomes very public too. Not exactly cozy. I’d rather vacuum in the entryway.Notstrom schrieb:
The basement light wells only border the terrace once, so it shouldn’t be that bad, right?That’s also a matter of taste. For me, with a new build, that would be a cosmetic flaw.
Notstrom schrieb:
What did you mean by the "impossible furnishing" in the bathroom? That when you enter, you face the toilet directly?I would agree with that. The bathroom isn’t great, but that can still be changed.I find it difficult to get comfortable with the various room sizes and proportions.
The entrance area downstairs feels cramped. I’m also not sure what purpose a vestibule serves nowadays. The kitchen/dining area is very spacious, but the space between the dining and living areas is wasted, and the living room itself is small.
Upstairs, the bathroom is a bit tight, and the door swings against the window. The staircase layout is actually reversed, so everyone passes by the bathroom and bedroom, and the route to the children’s rooms is long. The hallway is generally quite large relative to the floor area. The master bedroom is again somewhat small, and the children’s rooms on the left side feel almost narrow and corridor-like.
I think the house currently suffers from having a central staircase around which everything has to be arranged. The intended room layout does not seem practicable given the planned living area.
The entrance area downstairs feels cramped. I’m also not sure what purpose a vestibule serves nowadays. The kitchen/dining area is very spacious, but the space between the dining and living areas is wasted, and the living room itself is small.
Upstairs, the bathroom is a bit tight, and the door swings against the window. The staircase layout is actually reversed, so everyone passes by the bathroom and bedroom, and the route to the children’s rooms is long. The hallway is generally quite large relative to the floor area. The master bedroom is again somewhat small, and the children’s rooms on the left side feel almost narrow and corridor-like.
I think the house currently suffers from having a central staircase around which everything has to be arranged. The intended room layout does not seem practicable given the planned living area.
kbt09 schrieb:
Turning the staircase doesn’t help much either, because the basement entrance at that spot isn’t great either.Door in front.
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