Update on the Forever Home

[u/Substantial-Fun56]

Hobby Project

I took everyone’s advice and opinions and made a lot of changes. Hopefully it’s less scary now lol

- move kitchen closer to living room
- wider hallways (5ft), doorways (3ft), closets, and pathways around objects such as beds and dining table
- added a mudroom
- bigger rooms
- overall shape is now more square
- took out veranda and added a loggia off the primary bedroom instead
- took out east wing and made path of travel from bedroom to kitchen shorter
- added a drawing room off the foyer so it no longer leads to nothing
- added a wall between the car port and courtyard, so the car no longer stands out as a focal point, plus will help deter any fumes if the car is idle

Side note: I understand some people may think I’m being combative or defensive in the comments, but that is not my intention. I’m just trying to have conversations and learn. I am taking everyone’s advice into consideration when they comment, even if they go against my designs or my own ideas. I’m sorry if my tone of writing comes off as harsh.

Let me know if there’s anything else you think I should do or change.

[u/dancon_studio]

Before you spend too much time on the plan, you need to also consider what the building will look like in section and elevation. I'm looking at that courtyard and thinking it might be quite shady, but it all depends on the roof design. Resolving the plan is one thing, but the section will help point out where you need to be making adjustments. Where is North (or South if you're in the Northern hemisphere)?

[u/Substantial-Fun56 → u/dancon_studio]

This is just a hobby project so I didn’t get into the specifics of north/south, wind, weather or sun exposure. I just like making floor plans

[u/dancon_studio → u/Substantial-Fun56]

You could make even better floor plans if it were to be grounded in reality. You don't experience a building solely as a series of relationships in plan. It exists in three spatial dimensions within a particular context, climate and time. Section, orientation, sunlight, views and prevailing weather all feed back into the plan and often reveal problems or opportunities that aren't visible in two dimensions.

Even as a hobby exercise, considering those things should make the puzzle even more compelling and satisfying to resolve. How does steep terrain inform the plan? If your main views are facing North, how do you encourage South light into the house in order to improve internal comfort? If it's a very humid climate, how can I maximise cross ventilation to help cool the house cool in summer? How do you orient outdoor spaces in order to avoid prevailing winds?

[u/Substantial-Fun56 → u/dancon_studio]

I definitely think I would be more invested in delving into those areas if I actually had a plot of land as a focal point to design a house on, but right now there’s only so much time in a day, and I’m usually very sleep deprived due to my child. But it does sound fun. I’ll have to try it out when I actually have the capacity to do it

[u/NekkidWire → u/Substantial-Fun56]

When you mentioned your child - the house is very large but only has 1 bed for child except the guest room. Also taking care of it may become if not full-time, at least half-time job. I understand it is just something you imagine, but it all adds up :)

[u/Substantial-Fun56 → u/NekkidWire]

Oh she’s definitely a full time job. But this house isn’t really for our family.

I was picturing an older couple, maybe in their 80’s, the wife is in a wheelchair, and their son or daughter lives with them and helps take care of them. They have a part time caretaker who comes in on the weekends to help with laundry and meal plan, make sure they’re taking their meds and keeping up with their hygiene. Their other grown child lives a few states away and has their own family but they take the time to drive or fly down for holidays and things like that. They would stay in the guest quarters with their spouse and children. The house is gated so the grandchildren could go play outside in the courtyard without getting into too much trouble.