Home » Blogs » Yael's blog

First drafts for Site plan and house design

Submitted by Yael on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 20:15

2nd alternativeBased on the previous workshops which emphasized the importance of privacy, storage space, round shapes and more and based on the last charrette which developed these previous ideas into the "eyeball" design, we started sketching alternatives for the house.

We produced 3 alternatives designed to be built from straw-bales and based on the eyeball shape which has a spiritual core in the middle instead of a conventional living room:

Option 1The 1st alternative has a clerestory window in the center which emphasizes this spiritual core and also helps to ventilate the house and bring in natural light in, the entry is from the round wall on the north-west side, and the house has 2 spacious bedrooms. The garage is detached but allows quick entry through a mud room, as requested by the prospective resident.

2nd alternativeThe 2nd alternative has bigger footprint which allows for more spacious rooms including 3 bedrooms, the entry is set back bringing the people straight into the core, and the kitchen sits in the opposite round corner which will create very good cross ventilation. The garage is attached to the house through the mud room and utility room.

Option 3The 3rd alternative has a regular skylight above the spiritual core which is set 2 feet down into the earth and is made of earth. The garage is attached to the house, the room are smaller but include a loft area above which could be used for sleeping, the round corner in the kitchen has glass bricks, an idea raised by one of the community member during the charrette.

For more drawings click here

Please add your comments and feedback below...

 

»

More comments we got on the conference call

Submitted by Yael on Thu, 06/25/2009 - 19:16.

Here are a few more comments we got from a larger group of community members:

  • Youth mentioned they would prefer "screening for privacy" in the double bedroom
  • More support for the mudroom
  • Adding a full bathroom for the master bedroom
  • support for the detached garage
  • Concern about the 'slab on grade' due to pluming and maintainance problems that might occure
  • support for the big, common area in the kitchen
  • Support for the "pop-up" roof as a nice feature
  • Support for a stepped down living room
  • Kitchen is better facing east

About the site plan:

  • moving the houses more to the north as kand permits
  • Puting the 2 houses closer together as close as 20feet apart

  

»

Comments from Debrah

Submitted by admin on Sun, 06/21/2009 - 20:57.

Here are some useful comments we got from Debrah:

  • She likes the unique shape of the house
  • Shared bedrooms need to have an option to put a divider in the future.
  • The detached garage and the clearstory in option 1 are good
  • Rather have the master bedroom in the round corner.
  • Drawings in Option 1 and 2 are simple and clear to understand, floor plan in option 3 is difficult to read.
  • Nice to have the entry way on the curve
  • Rooms are too small in option 3
  • Big overhang allows to "walk around the house and stay dry", it's a "living space outside the home"
  • The step-down spritual core in option 3 is nice as it gives some seperation without walls
  • Lofts are useful but should be extended over a lrager area
  • Rooms in option 3 have too many walls - need to be opened up
  • Island kitchen allows to teach children traditional cooking from a safe distance and allows to prepare food while some are eating and feeling all together.

 

 

 

 

»