Author: Steven Reinhart
One of the first things an Architect will do before designing a house is visit the building site or area the house will be built.
There are many variables that need to be learned and addressed prior to designing a house.
1. What are the main features of the lot?
2. Where will the house be built on the lot - and why?
3. The physical location of the site may require specific design elements. Example: Heavy areas of snow will require large structural supports, whereas beach front property may require large windows to capture the views.
4. The materials you use must take into account the environment for which you are building.
5. The most important element to consider when designing a home is what the client wants from their home.
"No house should ever be on a hill or on anything. It should be of the hill. Belonging to it. Hill and house should live together each the happier for the other."
Frank Lloyd Wright, BrainyQuote.com
Sample Bedroom Study:
Taking advantage of a natural element located on or near your building site is critical when designing a dream home.
Given the sample bedroom above, the draftsman is showing us a large window in the room which gives us a large view of the lake. In contrast, the draftswman is not showing any windows on the wall facing the freeway. Don't forget to check your local building department for Egrees requirements!
Now that you have a general idea of how important is to design a house that fits the land it will occupy and meet the needs of your client. Now it's time to play Draftsman and design your dream home home.
The first step in designing your dream house is to select a building site. Review the images on the next five pages and select one site you would like to use to build your home.
Create a Site Plan and Floor Plan . You are the client so dream a design that fits your needs, circumstances, financial resources and remember to incorporate the land and materials of your site into your designs.
Lot #1
This lot is approximately 1 acre and has 150 feet of unobstructed ocean front views.
Specifications:
Size: 1 Acre
Location: Palm Beach, Florida
Minimum House Size: 4,000. S.F. (local building codes require a minimum of 4,000. square feet of living space.)
Lot #2
This lot is approximately 23 acres and has 2 ponds and a seasonal creek. Wildlife abounds!
Specifications:
Size: 23 Acres
Location: Plano, Texas
Minimum House Size: No size restrictions
Lot #3
This lot is approximately 15 acres and has a private 2 acre lake - with fish!
Specifications:
Size: 23 Acres
Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
Minimum House Size: 3,000. S.F. (local building codes require a minimum of 3,000. square feet of living space.)
Lot #4
This lot is approximately 139 acres and has a private 5 acre lake full of fish. Dear and duck hunting. Enjoy all the seasons - ski resort near by!
Specifications:
Size: 139 Acres
Location: Big Sky, Montana
Minimum House Size: 6,000. S.F. (local building codes require a minimum of 6,000. square feet of living space.)
Lot #5
This lot is approximately 1,233 acres and has a private landing strip for your small plane. Plenty of space for your livestock to roam. Enjoy the sunsets!
Specifications:
Size: 1,233 Acres
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Minimum House Size: No size restrictions
Selecting a lot to build your home is usually a personal choice, based on climate, location, price or amenities. Whatever your specific reason may be, chose your site carefully it may very well be the place you spend the rest of your life.
Get to know your site by visiting it many times and during different times of day and seasons. Take many pictures and notes when you are at your site. Take the time to talk to local residence to get a better idea on weather patterns, crime and local building professionals with experience building your type of home.
There are many ways to begin the design process. Sketching your ideas on paper can help you get a quick idea of how your home will function as a whole. Drawing your home plan using traditional drafting tools can help you space plan by using a scaled approach. Finally, there are many software programs available to purchase at a reasonable price that are very easy to use and learn. There are websites like Small Blueprinter that allow you to design floor plans online - free!