ᐅ Why are most urban villas built with a square floor plan?

sven.conzi schrieb:
Hello, we have a city villa based on a building plot measuring 8.30 x 13 meters (27.2 x 42.7 feet).

Is there anywhere to see it here?

@Nordlys
Well, I think as long as it’s not a Tuscan villa, a hip roof can fit well between gable roofs.

I plan to have at least a 2-meter (6.6 feet) difference in length, I think.

ypg schrieb:
... lack of imagination... the fear of standing out... trends... mainstream...
Back then, when a square floor plan or cube-shaped house was still called Quattrohaus/Quadrohaus, I liked them too.
Our neighbor’s house, with an almost square structure, I also quite like, but for me, architecture generally looks different. I also wonder why people put themselves in these constraints – for me, the symmetry in the windows is quite unexciting.

Regards, Yvonne

Symmetry in the windows is very important to me again. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t break out with a bay window or a recess to create an accent.

MIA_SAN_MIA__ schrieb:
Symmetry in the windows is very important to me again. But that doesn’t mean you can’t break away from it with a bay window or recess to create an accent.

You can hardly go wrong with symmetry, compared to making a well-planned window arrangement also look exciting, interesting, and attractive from the outside. Many people struggle with this. Symmetry should be used to emphasize something, for example, straight lines.

Best regards, Yvonne

Even at the risk of immediately becoming a target...

I think it’s worth considering where the term "city villa" actually comes from. I first associate it simply with a “villa in the city.” I have a feeling that, at some point, prefab home manufacturers used the term "city villa" to suggest to the average person that they too could afford a villa. Historically, it’s true that a rectangular shape offers efficient use of space, which is often necessary in urban areas. In the modern concept of a city villa, a square or rectangular design is simply more cost-effective to build than a correspondingly elaborate architectural style. What I see quite often here labeled as "city villas" mostly has little to do with a true “villa” in my opinion, which is why I find the term "city villa" as commonly used by the public rather disappointing.

ypg schrieb:
When it comes to symmetry, there's probably less chance of making a mistake than when trying to arrange windows in a way that looks appealing, interesting, and attractive from the outside. Many people find that challenging. Symmetry should be used to emphasize something, for example, linearity.

Regards, Yvonne

To be honest, I have yet to see a house with asymmetrical windows that looks truly good...

Of course, the design has advantages beyond marketing considerations. For example, if you manage to secure a plot of land close to downtown Hamburg, it comes at a very high price. On a 500cm (5-meter) plot, you can comfortably accommodate a home for four people without sloped ceilings. It also fits well into the dense urban environment.

In the green belt areas, where traditional new housing developments are built, the plots tend to be somewhat larger and cheaper. Here, it is important to ensure there is enough space for a garden and adequate sunlight. Otherwise, one might prefer a condominium instead. In my opinion, the townhouse concept feels out of place in such areas. It also casts a lot of shadows and reduces privacy.

Regional tastes also vary. In Bavaria, for example, houses tend to be built relatively tall. In the north, people prefer flatter buildings but with a wider footprint. Perhaps this is one reason why townhouses are rarely built there, while bungalows make up about 50-70% of new constructions. Karsten