ᐅ Single-family house with large open space – Requesting opinions
Created on: 28 Oct 2018 17:46
L
ltenzer
Hello everyone,
We are building a new house in a rather rural area of North Rhine-Westphalia, on an old but large vacant plot within a village setting. The attached floor plans were created based on a "rough draft" by myself and refined after several consultations with a local architect. Before we move forward decisively, I would appreciate hearing other opinions and welcome constructive criticism.
One change not yet included in the plan is a vestibule, which we want to add to prevent drafts caused by the open staircase access to the upper floor through the atrium. To keep the hallway feeling spacious, we plan to install the front door flush with the façade and add a canopy above the entrance.
Because of the generous basement, we will probably forgo an attic. We generally like exposed roof trusses and the resulting ceiling height. However, there might be an attic above the children's rooms.
The roof section above the atrium is flat. We want to keep the option open to create a rooftop terrace here later. Access would be via an external staircase between the garage roof and the upper floor; from the upper floor, this area would be accessible.
Since we have already posted in a smaller forum, we have already received two valuable tips:
- The kitchen window will be shifted slightly toward the dining table, as it currently takes up space needed for wall cabinets.
- The roof structure will be challenging due to the open atrium and walls that are not aligned vertically. A 12 m (39 ft) long steel beam as a purlin will likely need to be installed above the gallery railing.
We would like to ask for opinions, especially regarding the following: The best view is actually facing west, toward the sunset. The western corner of the living room is currently reserved for the TV, so we initially removed the window there. We are now considering expanding the window front so that a window is placed in the corner with a wider wall section in between, where the TV would be centered in the living room. This would provide a "west view" from the sofa as well. The original corner placement of the TV was intended to allow it to be positioned so it could be viewed from the dining table as well. How would you arrange it?
Checklist:
Development plan / restrictions
Lot size including rear land / former agricultural area overall 2800 sqm (30,139 sq ft)
Slope: street at front is nearly level with garage floor, right side is 1 m (3.3 ft) lower, land levels out toward the back but drops off again at the end, so that the neighbor about 80 m (262 ft) away is around one floor lower
Floor space ratio 0.4
Floor area ratio 0.8
Building envelope, building line and boundary: marked on ground floor plan at left
Surrounding buildings: bungalow on left, 1.5 storeys on right
Number of storeys: 2 full storeys
Roof style: any
Architectural style: any
Garden orientation: northwest
Owners’ requirements
Architectural style, roof type, building type: preferably classic "old-fashioned"; we love old castles but unfortunately that’s no longer how people build today
Number of people, ages: 41 + 42 + 1.5 years (possible 2nd child / foster child)
Office: for family use or home office including storage for private documents, books, etc.
Guests staying overnight per year: up to about 10 nights per year so far
Open or closed architecture: preferably open
Traditional or modern construction: both have pros and cons; a mix is welcome
Open kitchen, kitchen island: preferably open with option to close it later; kitchen island not required
Number of dining seats: usually 4, but up to 12-18 for guests
Fireplace: not required
Music/speaker wall: not required
Balcony, rooftop terrace: rooftop terrace as a possible addition later
Garage, carport: at least one double garage
Other wishes / special features / daily routine, including reasons why certain things are or are not wanted: -
House design
Planner: Architect based on a DIY rough draft
Estimated cost according to architect/planner: approximately 620,000 € including additional costs
Personal budget for the house including fittings: preferably less; we have some saving potentials through professional contacts in the construction industry / partial DIY and friends who are tradespeople
Preferred heating system: ground source heat pump, deep drilling
We are building a new house in a rather rural area of North Rhine-Westphalia, on an old but large vacant plot within a village setting. The attached floor plans were created based on a "rough draft" by myself and refined after several consultations with a local architect. Before we move forward decisively, I would appreciate hearing other opinions and welcome constructive criticism.
One change not yet included in the plan is a vestibule, which we want to add to prevent drafts caused by the open staircase access to the upper floor through the atrium. To keep the hallway feeling spacious, we plan to install the front door flush with the façade and add a canopy above the entrance.
Because of the generous basement, we will probably forgo an attic. We generally like exposed roof trusses and the resulting ceiling height. However, there might be an attic above the children's rooms.
The roof section above the atrium is flat. We want to keep the option open to create a rooftop terrace here later. Access would be via an external staircase between the garage roof and the upper floor; from the upper floor, this area would be accessible.
Since we have already posted in a smaller forum, we have already received two valuable tips:
- The kitchen window will be shifted slightly toward the dining table, as it currently takes up space needed for wall cabinets.
- The roof structure will be challenging due to the open atrium and walls that are not aligned vertically. A 12 m (39 ft) long steel beam as a purlin will likely need to be installed above the gallery railing.
We would like to ask for opinions, especially regarding the following: The best view is actually facing west, toward the sunset. The western corner of the living room is currently reserved for the TV, so we initially removed the window there. We are now considering expanding the window front so that a window is placed in the corner with a wider wall section in between, where the TV would be centered in the living room. This would provide a "west view" from the sofa as well. The original corner placement of the TV was intended to allow it to be positioned so it could be viewed from the dining table as well. How would you arrange it?
Checklist:
Development plan / restrictions
Lot size including rear land / former agricultural area overall 2800 sqm (30,139 sq ft)
Slope: street at front is nearly level with garage floor, right side is 1 m (3.3 ft) lower, land levels out toward the back but drops off again at the end, so that the neighbor about 80 m (262 ft) away is around one floor lower
Floor space ratio 0.4
Floor area ratio 0.8
Building envelope, building line and boundary: marked on ground floor plan at left
Surrounding buildings: bungalow on left, 1.5 storeys on right
Number of storeys: 2 full storeys
Roof style: any
Architectural style: any
Garden orientation: northwest
Owners’ requirements
Architectural style, roof type, building type: preferably classic "old-fashioned"; we love old castles but unfortunately that’s no longer how people build today
Number of people, ages: 41 + 42 + 1.5 years (possible 2nd child / foster child)
Office: for family use or home office including storage for private documents, books, etc.
Guests staying overnight per year: up to about 10 nights per year so far
Open or closed architecture: preferably open
Traditional or modern construction: both have pros and cons; a mix is welcome
Open kitchen, kitchen island: preferably open with option to close it later; kitchen island not required
Number of dining seats: usually 4, but up to 12-18 for guests
Fireplace: not required
Music/speaker wall: not required
Balcony, rooftop terrace: rooftop terrace as a possible addition later
Garage, carport: at least one double garage
Other wishes / special features / daily routine, including reasons why certain things are or are not wanted: -
House design
Planner: Architect based on a DIY rough draft
Estimated cost according to architect/planner: approximately 620,000 € including additional costs
Personal budget for the house including fittings: preferably less; we have some saving potentials through professional contacts in the construction industry / partial DIY and friends who are tradespeople
Preferred heating system: ground source heat pump, deep drilling
Everything has been said regarding the interior.
The open space is a matter of preference but reduces the space in the upper floor rooms.
As for the elevations, the front without the garage is great.
The rear view looks like an accident.
Flat roof should be removed.
Open space should be removed.
Redesign the upper floor and add a reading room / gentleman’s smoker’s room that offers a great view of the landscape and the roof beam.
The open space is a matter of preference but reduces the space in the upper floor rooms.
As for the elevations, the front without the garage is great.
The rear view looks like an accident.
Flat roof should be removed.
Open space should be removed.
Redesign the upper floor and add a reading room / gentleman’s smoker’s room that offers a great view of the landscape and the roof beam.
ltenzer schrieb:
Air spaces are generally a matter of personal preference; we like them.No, didn’t you read the previous posts? This is about functionality, especially when children are sleeping in the house. And it’s about the type of air space. This has already been discussed.
ltenzer schrieb:
The roof terrace would have an amazing view, thanks to the topography we can look down over the village and the fields. Everything in that direction is much lower than us. That’s why we want it.Yes, but who has time to look? You catch a view when it fits. After work, you have plenty to do in the garden. There really isn’t time to “just look.”
ltenzer schrieb:
I couldn’t think of anything better, could you?Who are you addressing? We all told you to position the garage to the east...
M
Mottenhausen28 Oct 2018 23:36We are also planning with an open ceiling space. We have currently been living with an open ceiling space (for 6 years) in an open attic - a maisonette. We no longer want to live any other way. The typical concerns—too noisy, waste of heat and space, etc.—have already been addressed throughout this thread. We know them all; they usually come from people who have never experienced the sense of space and living comfort of an open vertical living area over a longer period.
When building, you can either go for a basic, standard approach because it is simple, proven, affordable, and practical. Or you can make your dreams come true. In that sense, your design is on the right track. I find an open ceiling above the dining area more appealing; above the sofa, it can be cozy and closed.
Also, a north-facing orientation of living spaces is a red flag for many. South-facing in modern energy-efficient buildings means: after 10 minutes of sunlight exposure, blinds/shutters are closed; otherwise, it turns into a sauna. You can clearly observe this in all new residential areas: there is hardly a house where the windows are not consistently darkened and shaded as soon as the sun shines. This raises the question: what is better—an unobstructed view and diffuse light through large north-facing windows, or a south-facing orientation with a great view of blinds and shutters from the inside and accordingly almost no direct sunlight? Probably a combination works best.
When building, you can either go for a basic, standard approach because it is simple, proven, affordable, and practical. Or you can make your dreams come true. In that sense, your design is on the right track. I find an open ceiling above the dining area more appealing; above the sofa, it can be cozy and closed.
Also, a north-facing orientation of living spaces is a red flag for many. South-facing in modern energy-efficient buildings means: after 10 minutes of sunlight exposure, blinds/shutters are closed; otherwise, it turns into a sauna. You can clearly observe this in all new residential areas: there is hardly a house where the windows are not consistently darkened and shaded as soon as the sun shines. This raises the question: what is better—an unobstructed view and diffuse light through large north-facing windows, or a south-facing orientation with a great view of blinds and shutters from the inside and accordingly almost no direct sunlight? Probably a combination works best.
Mottenhausen schrieb:
e: too loud, waste of heat and space, etc. – these points have already been raised throughout the thread. We all know them, usually coming from people who have never experienced the feeling of an open-plan, double-height living space over an extended period.We have an open void ourselves... and my husband often watches TV longer than I do.
For me, it is actually too loud: the sound carries upwards, as if I were watching/listening to TV upstairs myself.
No offense to your kind words to the original poster, but even when you have built something yourself, it’s necessary to admit the drawbacks behind it instead of just generalizing.
Mottenhausen schrieb:
South-facing orientation in modern buildings complying with energy-saving regulations means: from 10 minutes of direct sunlight onwards, external blinds/shutters go down, otherwise it turns into a sauna. You can see this clearly in all new residential areas: hardly any house remains without consistent shading or blackout as soon as the sun shines. It raises the question: what is better – free views and scattered lightThat’s exactly how we designed all terrace windows in the open-plan area – facing east, south, and west. Small windows in the north. Otherwise, by the way, it wouldn’t have qualified as a KfW55 standard home so easily. The shutters are not lowered during the day in order to let in solar heat. We love the sun, and we built accordingly.
But this is not about us, not about your maisonette flat, and not about my house.
It’s about optimizing the original poster’s planning, otherwise they wouldn’t be asking here. So why sugarcoat everything when so many disadvantages can be listed? That doesn’t help anyone.
Neither I nor other critics here have to move in or repay the mortgage on some of these planning mistakes.
So then...
I only provide shading in the height of summer, just like in houses that are not subject to energy saving regulations.
Due to the location, we have a northwest terrace and next year we’re planning to add a south-facing dining area in the garden. This way, you can comfortably sit outside most of the time.
Due to the location, we have a northwest terrace and next year we’re planning to add a south-facing dining area in the garden. This way, you can comfortably sit outside most of the time.
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