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1. Find the right area.
Context: Whitehall, NY
The site is a two-bedroom house for sale next to main street.
Street view of the existing house for sale
The single-family house renovation would enlarge the second story by reconfiguring the roof. The proposed renovation would add an extra bedroom and bath upstairs.
The proposed house would be approximately 1,700 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 plan is the same as existing.
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 second story over the back of the house, and reconfigured the roof to be a simple gable.
I put the gable end towards the street, like the house next to it. It gives the house more of a presence from the street, and it has better views from the second story.
Back of the house with the new roof line
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:
The existing house has the dining room closed off for a spare bedroom, which breaks up the circulation.
I switched the direction of the stairs after adding the second story addition, in order to minimize circulation.
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:
The existing white siding seemed too bright, so I chose a light brown color similar to the stone.
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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