ᐅ Single-family home as a mid-terrace house on a sloped site – Design
Created on: 15 Oct 2016 21:48
R
rretsiem
Hello,
I have been following and reading threads like this attentively for some time now. After we found and are about to purchase a plot of land (title transfer scheduled for November), the planning phase begins.
The plot is located on a south-facing slope, is narrow (13.6m (45 feet)) and about 37m (121 feet) long. A special feature is that the main access (official address) is on the north side, which can only be reached by a pedestrian path (stairs only!). On the south side “below” there is a private road from which we plan to access the plot by vehicle and on foot about 95% of the time. Therefore, we have planned two entrances: one on the ground floor (GF) to the north and one on the basement level (BL) to the south.
We received the first draft from the architect this week and were surprised by the size: 180sqm (1937 sq ft) of living space plus about 31sqm (333 sq ft) of usable space, caused by the wide building across the 13.6m (45 feet) width but, of course, not arbitrarily reducible in depth.
Development plan / restrictions:
Plot size: approx. 500sqm (5382 sq ft)
Slope: Yes, south-facing
Development according to §34 BauG
To the east, there has been a house since the 1980s built right up to the property boundary (no encumbrances in the land register) because row houses were originally planned there.
Thus, the restriction is a “closed” building style from boundary to boundary. An “open” building style is possible but then, due to setback regulations determined by a formula involving floor height etc. (which I do not know in detail), about 5–6m (16–20 feet) distance would have to be kept on the west side, resulting in a house width of only 6–7m (20–23 feet), which is unappealing. On the west side, the neighboring plot is still undeveloped and no plans are known to us. Therefore, no windows are planned on the east and west sides.
Orientation: Front door on north side (GF) and south side (BL)
Maximum height/limits: GF max 1 floor (bungalow), therefore basement on south side with living rooms and terrace, and on north side with utility cellar.
Owners’ requirements:
Roof form: Gable roof, must be aligned with the house on the east, which has about a 22% pitch (exact measurement still to be done)
Number of floors: 2 – as mentioned, basement with living rooms on the south side
Household size, ages: 3 people (38, 36, 3 years), no further children planned
Space requirement on GF, BL: Living space wanted max. 150sqm (1615 sq ft)
Office: Home office, used 4 days a week by me
Kitchen: Open kitchen, living/dining area as one large space
WC/Bathroom: Full bathroom on GF with shower and bathtub. On BL a WC with small shower.
Balcony: If possible across the full width, but this may darken the basement, causing possibly insufficient light?
Garage, carport: At least 2 parking spaces, 1 garage, 1 carport
Other wishes / special features / daily routine:
Because there is an unobstructed view to the south over a large distance, the living/dining room is planned on the GF, bedrooms, children’s room, guest room in the basement. Since our son is still very young (3 years), we want to have all bedrooms on one level. The office will be on the GF facing south, possibly to be converted to a children’s room later, and I would move to the basement.
Bathroom with window on the GF.
Because the “path” on the north is only accessible via stairs (not wheelchair accessible), we plan two entrances. The north one corresponds to the official address; mail carriers etc. will use this path. From the south private road, we plan a path through the garden from the carport to the basement entrance in the south.
House design:
Planned by: Architect
What do you particularly like?
Open, bright living-dining area extending to the kitchen, straightforward rooms, terrace would be covered by balcony
What do you dislike?
Somewhat large (currently 180sqm (1937 sq ft) living space + 31sqm (333 sq ft) basement; desired is 150sqm (1615 sq ft)), bathroom with slanted door, though we have not come up with an alternative yet.
The fireplace location is actually quite good, but we fear it wastes a lot of space.
Cost estimate according to architect/planner: 350,000 – 400,000
Preferred heating technology: heat pump (no gas available, pellet heating not desired due to space saving)
If you had to give up something, what details/extras could you do without?
Large rooms, smaller office and children’s room, living/dining area could be smaller, smaller hallway
What could you not do without?
Separate WC/bathroom, garage, office, large technical room in basement because only 2 usable cellar rooms are possible on the north side (planned with KNX bus system, many control cabinets and building technology)
What do the experts think of the layout and plan? Is there still potential to reduce living space so it is not so large? We like the room layout but maybe there are thinking errors on our part we have not yet considered.
I hope I have listed all details. If I forgot something, please let me know and I will of course add it.
I have been following and reading threads like this attentively for some time now. After we found and are about to purchase a plot of land (title transfer scheduled for November), the planning phase begins.
The plot is located on a south-facing slope, is narrow (13.6m (45 feet)) and about 37m (121 feet) long. A special feature is that the main access (official address) is on the north side, which can only be reached by a pedestrian path (stairs only!). On the south side “below” there is a private road from which we plan to access the plot by vehicle and on foot about 95% of the time. Therefore, we have planned two entrances: one on the ground floor (GF) to the north and one on the basement level (BL) to the south.
We received the first draft from the architect this week and were surprised by the size: 180sqm (1937 sq ft) of living space plus about 31sqm (333 sq ft) of usable space, caused by the wide building across the 13.6m (45 feet) width but, of course, not arbitrarily reducible in depth.
Development plan / restrictions:
Plot size: approx. 500sqm (5382 sq ft)
Slope: Yes, south-facing
Development according to §34 BauG
To the east, there has been a house since the 1980s built right up to the property boundary (no encumbrances in the land register) because row houses were originally planned there.
Thus, the restriction is a “closed” building style from boundary to boundary. An “open” building style is possible but then, due to setback regulations determined by a formula involving floor height etc. (which I do not know in detail), about 5–6m (16–20 feet) distance would have to be kept on the west side, resulting in a house width of only 6–7m (20–23 feet), which is unappealing. On the west side, the neighboring plot is still undeveloped and no plans are known to us. Therefore, no windows are planned on the east and west sides.
Orientation: Front door on north side (GF) and south side (BL)
Maximum height/limits: GF max 1 floor (bungalow), therefore basement on south side with living rooms and terrace, and on north side with utility cellar.
Owners’ requirements:
Roof form: Gable roof, must be aligned with the house on the east, which has about a 22% pitch (exact measurement still to be done)
Number of floors: 2 – as mentioned, basement with living rooms on the south side
Household size, ages: 3 people (38, 36, 3 years), no further children planned
Space requirement on GF, BL: Living space wanted max. 150sqm (1615 sq ft)
Office: Home office, used 4 days a week by me
Kitchen: Open kitchen, living/dining area as one large space
WC/Bathroom: Full bathroom on GF with shower and bathtub. On BL a WC with small shower.
Balcony: If possible across the full width, but this may darken the basement, causing possibly insufficient light?
Garage, carport: At least 2 parking spaces, 1 garage, 1 carport
Other wishes / special features / daily routine:
Because there is an unobstructed view to the south over a large distance, the living/dining room is planned on the GF, bedrooms, children’s room, guest room in the basement. Since our son is still very young (3 years), we want to have all bedrooms on one level. The office will be on the GF facing south, possibly to be converted to a children’s room later, and I would move to the basement.
Bathroom with window on the GF.
Because the “path” on the north is only accessible via stairs (not wheelchair accessible), we plan two entrances. The north one corresponds to the official address; mail carriers etc. will use this path. From the south private road, we plan a path through the garden from the carport to the basement entrance in the south.
House design:
Planned by: Architect
What do you particularly like?
Open, bright living-dining area extending to the kitchen, straightforward rooms, terrace would be covered by balcony
What do you dislike?
Somewhat large (currently 180sqm (1937 sq ft) living space + 31sqm (333 sq ft) basement; desired is 150sqm (1615 sq ft)), bathroom with slanted door, though we have not come up with an alternative yet.
The fireplace location is actually quite good, but we fear it wastes a lot of space.
Cost estimate according to architect/planner: 350,000 – 400,000
Preferred heating technology: heat pump (no gas available, pellet heating not desired due to space saving)
If you had to give up something, what details/extras could you do without?
Large rooms, smaller office and children’s room, living/dining area could be smaller, smaller hallway
What could you not do without?
Separate WC/bathroom, garage, office, large technical room in basement because only 2 usable cellar rooms are possible on the north side (planned with KNX bus system, many control cabinets and building technology)
What do the experts think of the layout and plan? Is there still potential to reduce living space so it is not so large? We like the room layout but maybe there are thinking errors on our part we have not yet considered.
I hope I have listed all details. If I forgot something, please let me know and I will of course add it.
Maria16 schrieb:
Is there any reason against having the kitchen on the north side?You generally need the kitchen to be close to the terrace more than the living room.
In summer evenings, people tend to sit on the terrace instead of the living room. So it’s practical for the kitchen to be nearby—for cocktails, the grill, the fridge. You carry the salad and coffee from the kitchen out to the terrace, not from the living room.
Rarely do you move back and forth from the TV (living room) to the terrace.
You usually spend the evening in the living room—that is, after the sun sets. Before that, you are active around the dining table or not in the house at all. So the living room doesn’t necessarily need direct sunlight or windows, at least if you have to choose.
Best regards
ypg schrieb:
So, you don’t need direct sunlight or a window in the living room, at least not if you have to choose.
RegardsBut this decision really has to be made by the original poster! What is more important to them – a shorter route between the kitchen and garden/terrace (in the first draft, the kitchen is also on the north side) or the view? How do they imagine their workflows and daily habits? Do they prefer to spend the whole weekend reading on the sofa and therefore need good, natural light during the day?
Would a gallery space even be used if you have to keep an eye on the oven or a child in the living room at the same time?
Based on MY personal preferences and the time I spend in the kitchen versus on the sofa, with this plot layout I would, admittedly reluctantly, accept the longer distance between kitchen and terrace rather than place the sofa in the darker area.
Perhaps the kitchen could be moved to the center of the room and a storage room created on the north side? Of course, this has its drawbacks, but ultimately the original poster has to weigh those.
Maybe it could also be considered to bring reading and enjoying the view from the sofa into the dining area by installing three-quarter height windows there and replacing window sills with a built-in bench along the recess?
Maria16 schrieb:
But this decision really has to be made by the OP! What is more important to them?They can decide that themselves 🙂
Decisions cannot be made for you here in the forum, and these are only ideas being outlined because, in my opinion, this room layout makes more sense for daily use than their own. It is a rough sketch with a lot more potential.
What I find quite original (if I remember correctly) is that the woman is reading while the child needs supervision 😉
Best regards
After reviewing the design again, which we still like, the disadvantages mentioned seem to outweigh the benefits, or perhaps we are still looking for a solution with the bathroom and bedrooms all on one level. So, we have come up with two alternative layouts ourselves.
The exterior dimensions are fixed, so based on the architect’s drawings, we started sketching on paper, similar to how @ypg does it so well, and began thinking independently. If we like one of these proposals, we would discuss it again with the architect and have him “turn it into something professional.”
On the ground floor, we now have all the bedrooms with the bathroom. This makes the north entrance more of a secondary entrance, and guests coming from the north—even Santa Claus—will have to go downstairs or through the fireplace area. We are currently planning with French balconies and floor-to-ceiling windows facing south.
For the basement, I attached two versions since we are still unsure if about 9 meters (30 feet) at the back on the north side of the living room will let in enough light. So, one version extends the living area all the way to the north wall, and the second version includes a utility/technical room behind it. Of course, this reduces the size of the dining and living area, but there should still be enough space with about 180 square meters (1,940 square feet) available.
Regarding the basement windows for the living area, are there solutions that don’t look like typical basement light wells and are as large as possible? A light well is unfortunately not an option because the slope rises further upwards to the north, which could cause problems during heavy rain.
We tried to keep the fireplace roughly in the center, as the architect suggested—a proposal we liked even though we did not explicitly request or discuss this before. But here, I could also imagine adding an interior wall as a possible solution.
One advantage we see after further consideration is of course having more living space, since a WC with a shower or guest toilet would no longer be needed. As @Maria16 pointed out, this also has its charm from a plastering and finishing perspective.
The exterior dimensions are fixed, so based on the architect’s drawings, we started sketching on paper, similar to how @ypg does it so well, and began thinking independently. If we like one of these proposals, we would discuss it again with the architect and have him “turn it into something professional.”
On the ground floor, we now have all the bedrooms with the bathroom. This makes the north entrance more of a secondary entrance, and guests coming from the north—even Santa Claus—will have to go downstairs or through the fireplace area. We are currently planning with French balconies and floor-to-ceiling windows facing south.
For the basement, I attached two versions since we are still unsure if about 9 meters (30 feet) at the back on the north side of the living room will let in enough light. So, one version extends the living area all the way to the north wall, and the second version includes a utility/technical room behind it. Of course, this reduces the size of the dining and living area, but there should still be enough space with about 180 square meters (1,940 square feet) available.
Regarding the basement windows for the living area, are there solutions that don’t look like typical basement light wells and are as large as possible? A light well is unfortunately not an option because the slope rises further upwards to the north, which could cause problems during heavy rain.
We tried to keep the fireplace roughly in the center, as the architect suggested—a proposal we liked even though we did not explicitly request or discuss this before. But here, I could also imagine adding an interior wall as a possible solution.
One advantage we see after further consideration is of course having more living space, since a WC with a shower or guest toilet would no longer be needed. As @Maria16 pointed out, this also has its charm from a plastering and finishing perspective.
First of all, you have an architect: you could simply communicate your wish to have all the bedrooms on the ground floor plus a secondary entrance door. The architect should be able to implement these wishes more effectively.
You have identified a challenge by placing the staircase and entrance on the side, which results in a long hallway that does not necessarily make the house more appealing. An architect can handle this better. At least a good one 😉 Additionally, the architect should have considered alternative ways to bring daylight into the spaces. For example, you can install basement windows and daylight lamps across the entire width of the room, or nowadays there are technologies that channel natural light into basement rooms, such as ecodesign — search for daylight lighting systems or heliobus... The use of mirrors can also enhance the light. Keep in mind that the issue with the living room is not a room without natural light, but rather a darker corner within a large space.
I would therefore solve the daylight problem more individually and prefer a generous floor plan without lining up rooms next to each other 🙂 Perhaps a void extending up through the ground floor and roof with windows would be desirable. This also has the advantage of reducing your usable floor area. Such a void can also be completely separated (walled off) in the upper floor.
The simplest idea that comes to mind is to keep the living area open to above 🙂
Best regards
You have identified a challenge by placing the staircase and entrance on the side, which results in a long hallway that does not necessarily make the house more appealing. An architect can handle this better. At least a good one 😉 Additionally, the architect should have considered alternative ways to bring daylight into the spaces. For example, you can install basement windows and daylight lamps across the entire width of the room, or nowadays there are technologies that channel natural light into basement rooms, such as ecodesign — search for daylight lighting systems or heliobus... The use of mirrors can also enhance the light. Keep in mind that the issue with the living room is not a room without natural light, but rather a darker corner within a large space.
I would therefore solve the daylight problem more individually and prefer a generous floor plan without lining up rooms next to each other 🙂 Perhaps a void extending up through the ground floor and roof with windows would be desirable. This also has the advantage of reducing your usable floor area. Such a void can also be completely separated (walled off) in the upper floor.
The simplest idea that comes to mind is to keep the living area open to above 🙂
Best regards
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