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1. Find the right area.
Context: Lake George, NY
The property next to it has a house for sale.
The site is on a dead end street with a hiking trail next to it. It drops off in elevation.
The proposed single-family house is approximately 2,500 sq.ft., and modeled after similar houses nearby.
Neighboring houses
Knowledge: (Urbanism Rules)
In order to make reasonable decisions during the site-selection process, it helps to have general knowledge about:
2. Site the building.
Context:
The site is mostly forest. There are two possible locations for the house, which would not require cutting down any trees.
Place markers on the ground for approximate dimensions. Record the dimensions onto the site plan.
The specific house location needs to be determined on site. The house fits in between the trees, 10 feet from the road.
The house is placed half way on the slope, so it can have a walkout basement.
Knowledge: (Urbanism Rules)
For deciding how to site the building, it helps to know:
Form-Based Codes: how much space is needed for a house, for a driveway/garage, for a yard, for a garden, how to shape a cluster, how to position a house for sunlight
Dynamic Codes, such as privacy requirements like setbacks from the road and neighboring houses, what views tend to be important to people, rules about plants/trees
Negotiated Rights: ways to negotiate shared space with neighbors
3. Determine the building's massing and style.
Context:
I added a large front porch that connects the main masses.
Knowledge: (Architecture Rules)
To determine the building's massing, it helps to know:
Form-Based Codes: rules about density, rules about building types
Massing Rules: rules about proportion/scale,
Style Considerations (Architecture): what elements are necessary to convey its style, its use, style compatibility, etc.
4. Lay out the interior.
Context:
I started by laying out the main floor. The kitchen addition has its own entrance from the porch.
The living room is off the main entrance, and leads into the dining room. The office is in between the dining room and the kitchen, and it has access to the back deck.
The main house is 22 feet wide, but the upstairs ceiling tapers at the sides from the gable roof. I put the stair in the middle of the plan, but the rooms on either side were too small for bedrooms.
Because of the addition, there is enough clearance at the top stair, even though the side walls are only 4.5 feet high.
I wanted storage near the basement stair, and a direct path to the outside, passing through a hang-out room.
The mechanical-laundry room and the bathroom are located toward the front of the house, which is underground and doesn't receive natural light.
The deck configuration will likely change during construction.
Knowledge: (Architecture Rules)
To lay out the house, it helps to know:
Spatial Rules like general sizes for most activities, rules about circulation, rules about privacy, maximizing sunlight and views
Programmatic Rules like important adjacencies, different user groups, what activities are prioritized given available space, how to combine uses, find equivalent uses, etc.
5. Add color, materials, and furniture.
Context:
view from the street (above) and view from the back (below)
I chose the color red before realizing that the house next door has the same color. I brightened the red to distinguish it.
Stone is used for the basement and the chimney. It looks more natural than concrete block.
Knowledge: (Architecture Rules)
It helps to know about construction methods, materials, HVAC, structural rules of thumb, furniture layouts, technology and appliances, style details, etc. Style Renders offer a quick way to visualize ideas.
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