ᐅ Single-family house with a recessed upper floor, southwest-facing, located in Bonn
Created on: 5 Oct 2020 20:40
B
Benrath
Hello everyone,
we have purchased one of three plots that were divided from a larger property and still need to be developed. Access is via a private road, and all three owners share the traffic area equally. The plot is very well connected for us, located centrally in Bonn, and is perhaps a bit larger than we actually needed. However, it’s not like there are always free plots available in a similar location.
Because there was a lengthy legal dispute between the seller and the neighbors beforehand, we can only build a partial recessed upper floor to a limited extent. Probably for this reason, the plot was mainly interesting for private buyers. An accessory apartment is not possible, and we don’t want one anyway.
Up until now, the planning was done from scratch without considering costs or practical aspects, at least from our side. The architect apparently enjoys drawing, which is understandable at this stage and has a certain artistic approach. We are generally open to all suggestions and ideas on what could be done differently, especially where costs might be saved easily.
Our next step will be to conclude an architect contract for service phases 1 to 5 plus general contractor / main contractor.
Development plan/restrictions
Plot size: >800sqm (8600 sq ft), no slope, building envelope etc. See plan.
Parking spaces: 1 on traffic area and 1 garage
Number of storeys: Only 1 full storey plus a recessed upper floor
Roof style: Flat roof; architectural style: rather Bauhaus
Orientation: Front of the house faces southwest
Maximum height/limits: 7–8m (23–26 ft)
Owners’ requirements
We basically have no specific style requirements. A flat roof results partly from the recessed upper floor and height restrictions, which probably don’t allow a pitched roof.
We want a basement with excavation and two daylight rooms (this was more the architect’s idea). Currently, there are three of us, possibly four in the future. Early 30s and a baby.
We had planned for just over 100sqm (1076 sq ft) on the ground floor and about 75% of that upstairs. Currently, it’s roughly 230sqm (2475 sq ft) ground floor and upper floor combined plus terraces, etc., and the basement.
Office: occasional use, not very important.
Number of overnight guests per year: unknown, but a guest room is planned
Open kitchen, kitchen island: We definitely want a separate kitchen area and like the suggestion of an extended island
Number of dining seats: 4 in the kitchen, more like 8 in the dining room
Fireplace: Not very important, probably no.
Music/surround sound system: 5.1 system around the TV
Balcony, roof terrace: Terrace is a must, balcony above the kitchen results from the recessed floor
Garage, carport: The garage width of 4.5m (15 ft) is unusual and probably makes it more expensive.
House design by the architect
What do we particularly like? Why? Good use of the sunny side, and otherwise all our wishes have been taken into account.
Upper floor: 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Master bedroom with en-suite bathroom and walk-in closet.
What don’t we like? Why? I could imagine a nicer staircase, perhaps a longer, more open design. Overall, the hallway feels a bit large.
The upper-floor terrace seems somewhat oversized. We are wondering if the overhang casts too much shade on the ground floor.
Price estimate according to architect/planner: with general contractor and all additional costs >900,000€ (over 900,000 euros)
Personal budget limit for the house, including fittings: rather below that.
Preferred heating technology: no opinion so far
Why does the design look like it does?
For example:
There was an initial meeting with the architect during which our wishes were noted.
Ground floor: separated kitchen, combined living/dining area. Another separate room as office/guest room (and possibly bedroom if needed).
Passage from the garage to the house, possibly as a utility room.
Upper floor: 3 rooms plus 2 bathrooms, including one en-suite.
First draft at the second meeting, and at the third meeting this final design was presented.
we have purchased one of three plots that were divided from a larger property and still need to be developed. Access is via a private road, and all three owners share the traffic area equally. The plot is very well connected for us, located centrally in Bonn, and is perhaps a bit larger than we actually needed. However, it’s not like there are always free plots available in a similar location.
Because there was a lengthy legal dispute between the seller and the neighbors beforehand, we can only build a partial recessed upper floor to a limited extent. Probably for this reason, the plot was mainly interesting for private buyers. An accessory apartment is not possible, and we don’t want one anyway.
Up until now, the planning was done from scratch without considering costs or practical aspects, at least from our side. The architect apparently enjoys drawing, which is understandable at this stage and has a certain artistic approach. We are generally open to all suggestions and ideas on what could be done differently, especially where costs might be saved easily.
Our next step will be to conclude an architect contract for service phases 1 to 5 plus general contractor / main contractor.
Development plan/restrictions
Plot size: >800sqm (8600 sq ft), no slope, building envelope etc. See plan.
Parking spaces: 1 on traffic area and 1 garage
Number of storeys: Only 1 full storey plus a recessed upper floor
Roof style: Flat roof; architectural style: rather Bauhaus
Orientation: Front of the house faces southwest
Maximum height/limits: 7–8m (23–26 ft)
Owners’ requirements
We basically have no specific style requirements. A flat roof results partly from the recessed upper floor and height restrictions, which probably don’t allow a pitched roof.
We want a basement with excavation and two daylight rooms (this was more the architect’s idea). Currently, there are three of us, possibly four in the future. Early 30s and a baby.
We had planned for just over 100sqm (1076 sq ft) on the ground floor and about 75% of that upstairs. Currently, it’s roughly 230sqm (2475 sq ft) ground floor and upper floor combined plus terraces, etc., and the basement.
Office: occasional use, not very important.
Number of overnight guests per year: unknown, but a guest room is planned
Open kitchen, kitchen island: We definitely want a separate kitchen area and like the suggestion of an extended island
Number of dining seats: 4 in the kitchen, more like 8 in the dining room
Fireplace: Not very important, probably no.
Music/surround sound system: 5.1 system around the TV
Balcony, roof terrace: Terrace is a must, balcony above the kitchen results from the recessed floor
Garage, carport: The garage width of 4.5m (15 ft) is unusual and probably makes it more expensive.
House design by the architect
What do we particularly like? Why? Good use of the sunny side, and otherwise all our wishes have been taken into account.
Upper floor: 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Master bedroom with en-suite bathroom and walk-in closet.
What don’t we like? Why? I could imagine a nicer staircase, perhaps a longer, more open design. Overall, the hallway feels a bit large.
The upper-floor terrace seems somewhat oversized. We are wondering if the overhang casts too much shade on the ground floor.
Price estimate according to architect/planner: with general contractor and all additional costs >900,000€ (over 900,000 euros)
Personal budget limit for the house, including fittings: rather below that.
Preferred heating technology: no opinion so far
Why does the design look like it does?
For example:
There was an initial meeting with the architect during which our wishes were noted.
Ground floor: separated kitchen, combined living/dining area. Another separate room as office/guest room (and possibly bedroom if needed).
Passage from the garage to the house, possibly as a utility room.
Upper floor: 3 rooms plus 2 bathrooms, including one en-suite.
First draft at the second meeting, and at the third meeting this final design was presented.
Benrath schrieb:
Interesting thought. Our idea was to have the parents’ area connected to the terrace since we would use it the most, especially in the long term. You could simply swap the kids’ and parents’ areas (kids upstairs, parents downstairs), then you would have the terrace.
Benrath schrieb:
The passage from the garage through the utility room downstairs would be lost. However, the front door would then be right next to the garage, so you could easily add a door at the back or on the side to access the garage.
Benrath schrieb:
… and the utility room would be upstairs. You currently have a laundry or utility room on each of the three floors. Where do you actually do your laundry?
I find the long, narrow hallway with that dark maze-like area near the kids’ room, as well as the windowless walk-in closet and the bathroom accessed only through the bedroom, to be, at best, "suboptimal."
Benrath schrieb:
I can also share exterior views sometime. Great, looking forward to that!
Benrath schrieb:
I still don’t understand why everyone dislikes the transition between the kitchen and living room. They already slightly overlap, and making that simply angular now feels more awkward. A 45-degree angle feels very much like an ’80s style, but an angle around 25 degrees (?) just looks unusual and uncomfortable. I don’t like it either. I’d leave it open. If noise or smells become a problem, you can always add a glass door or something similar later on.
Ok, of course the option to leave it completely open also exists.
The utility room on the ground floor is mainly for washing machines, and the one on the upper floor is more of a storage/clothes ironing room. The basement one is an additional space and will likely be used as a pantry, etc., with another fridge, and so far it’s still called a utility room.
We’re still considering the rest. Clearly, the parents’ and children’s areas could simply be swapped, but I’m not really happy with that either.
The utility room on the ground floor is mainly for washing machines, and the one on the upper floor is more of a storage/clothes ironing room. The basement one is an additional space and will likely be used as a pantry, etc., with another fridge, and so far it’s still called a utility room.
We’re still considering the rest. Clearly, the parents’ and children’s areas could simply be swapped, but I’m not really happy with that either.
Benrath schrieb:
The utility room on the ground floor is mainly for the washing machines, and the one on the upper floor is more like a storage room/ironing room. If that matches your usual habits, fine. Otherwise, I wouldn’t plan it that way. Semi-redundant room functions are, for me, one of the warning signs to take a closer, critical look at the planner.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
Climbee schrieb:
I don’t know anyone with a garden and kitchen on the ground floor who actually uses a balcony on the upper floor. Here I do 😀 However, our balcony is actually a loggia. It’s often used in the evening because we get more sun there later. Also, in bad weather, it’s more sheltered from wind and rain.
In this case, though, I would say it probably won’t be used that often, so I would rather go for a flat roof with greenery. Since it’s more like a terrace in character, I don’t think the area would be used any differently than the ground floor terrace. That would make it redundant—unless you have an amazing view from that level. That would be the only justifiable reason for it in my opinion.
For the many square meters, the overall floor plan unfortunately doesn’t look spacious enough to me. The door from the kitchen to the dining room is, in my view, a no-go. But what an architect absolutely cannot accept—and what I would never ever do—is having bathroom access through the bedroom! Just imagine the routine in the morning, evening, or whenever...
I honestly wouldn’t even consider that, and I think it’s a disaster in a house of this size!
Overall, I don’t like the current plan at all compared to the sketch. I understand why you had to redesign, but there are quite a few issues here (starting with the staircase location). It all looks like a makeshift solution...
A
Aphrodithe22 Nov 2020 15:05Wickie schrieb:
But what is absolutely unacceptable for an architect – and what I would never ever do – is having access to the bathroom through the bedroom! Just imagine the routine in the morning, evening, or anytime...
I simply wouldn’t consider that, and for a house of this size, I think it’s a disaster! That’s completely nonsensical because there is a separate bathroom (children’s bathroom) here! I think you don’t understand the concept of a master bathroom/en suite!
Similar topics