GTT - ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
RESIDENTIAL HOME FLOOR PLAN -------- THE ONE-STORY RANCH ----- DISTANCE LEARNING 2.0
GTT Packet 2.0 - Architectural Design
For Distance Learning beginning April 1, 2020
All of the information below can be found in books or online. Whatever you have access to, use it! Google One Story House Plans to help with ideas.
As always, you can email me or call if you need clarification.
This project assignment takes time to get started, but once you do, it moves along pretty well. Your biggest problem may be changing your mind after you have started putting in "walls." As with all sketching, it's best to draw things lightly at first to get things organized. Don't darken anything until you are well into the design: to think, to organize, to plan, and to draw. Don’t rush it. Have fun with it! Try to do a little bit each day.
Assignment: Research floor plan designs online or available books and design the floor plan for a one-story home on a single page of 1/4" graph paper. All you will need is a sheet of 1/4" graph paper and a pencil.
The floor plan is the top view looking down into a house from above that shows the arrangement of all the living spaces and permanent fixtures with the top half of the walls and roof removed. It shows the locations of rooms & closets, hallways, doors & windows, kitchen countertops/appliances/cabinets/pantries, bathtubs/showers, sinks, and toilets.
IMPORTANT! Each square on the graph paper will represent 4 square feet of floor space (2 feet on each side), so the scale of your design will be 1/4” = 2 feet. Half of a square is 1 foot, and a quarter of a square is 6 inches. Keep this in mind as you draw...A room 10'x10' would be 5 squares x 5 squares. For this, a single line will represent a standard wall.
***Your house shape does not have to be a square or rectangle. The overall shape is your choice!
You will take on the role of an architect, and design a custom home as YOU envision it. The word architect comes from the Greek word arkhiteckton, which means chief builder. An architect is a person who designs and supervises the construction of buildings. The architect is responsible for turning peoples’ needs and wants into a pleasing building. Architects must understand construction techniques well enough to clearly communicate how the building is to be built. Also, the architect must know local and national building codes to ensure the public’s safety and well-being. Architecture is a rigorous college program that combines math, science, and art. Good design is based on all three. As the architect, YOU decide where things are located and how they are arranged. Contractors do the physical work to turn the design into reality.
DESIGN REQUIREMENTS: Your design must have these planned spaces!
Front entrance with foyer, living room, dining room, kitchen with eating area, laundry room, 3 bedrooms w/closets with a private hallway, 2 full bathrooms, one 1/2 bathroom(sink & toilet) somewhere near the kitchen or living room. You may add other rooms as well, but your design must have these main living/service areas. You may also want to include a garage/carport, but it will not count in the house living space.
· LIVING SPACE: Minimum 2000 square feet; Maximum 2400 square feet
· Current building costs: $80-100.00 / square foot
Today, a reasonable cost for a private residential home is about $80-$100/square foot. So, a 2,000 square foot house x $80 will cost $160,000.00. A 2400 square foot house x $100 will cost $240,000.00.
One advantage of a one-story Ranch design is no stairs. For those with physical disabilities, this is a high priority. A disadvantage is cost. Because everything is on one level, it uses more ground area, which requires more foundation (the concrete base) and roofing.
For this project, you might ask some family members for their input. Architects work directly with their client. To address specific needs that may include disabilities, hobbies, entertainment, music/art studio, home office, security, appliances, space for collections and trophies, and accommodations for overnight guests. The most important things to remember when planning are the adequate sizes of rooms, storage, and how people will move through the house. Note: Rooms that are too big can be as bad as rooms that are too small.
Use your imagination and be creative! Research different floor plans in books or online. Every plan will give you ideas to include in your design. Your family could be very helpful in helping you develop your plan. Google one story floor plans, and take time to study room placement, hallways, open areas that are separated by furniture arrangement without walls.
A private residential home can be divided into three basic areas: the Living Area; the Service Area; and the Sleeping Area. The Living Area is where the family relaxes, entertains guests, and meets together. The Service Area is where food is prepared, clothes are laundered, goods are stored, cars are kept, and equipment for upkeep of the house is maintained. The Sleeping Area is where the family sleeps and rests.
Where you place the 3 main areas of a house is important. One of the best ways to get started is to pick a location for the front entrance in your mind, close your eyes, walk through the front door, and envision what you want to see from the foyer. The foyer is the area just inside the front entrance for receiving and welcoming guests. It should not be directly in any of the other areas. What will be the first things they see from there? The living area? The dining room? The kitchen? All three? The sleeping areas should not be visible from the foyer.
The Living Area
The living area is the part of the house that most friends and guests see. It is the area that usually becomes the showplace. This area serves a variety of functions. It is the location for family get-togethers and dining. It is the area for recreation, entertaining, and just relaxing. The living area is not restricted to the interior of the home. It includes patios, decks, and terraces. This area is designed for all activities not encompassed in the sleeping and service areas. The living area includes the living room, dining room, foyer, recreation room or family room, and special-purpose rooms such as a sunroom or home office. Some of the “rooms” may not be rooms in the true sense, however, but they serve the same purpose. Modern trends are moving away from many rooms toward a more open plan with fewer walls and doors.
Entryways and Foyer…
Every house has at least one entryway, but not all have a foyer. A well-planned house will have both. There are three basic types of entryways: the main entry, the service entry, and special purpose entry. The main entry should be designed to be impressive, because it is the first part of the home that guests see when they arrive. The main entry does not need to be excessively large to be attractive.
The main entry should be centrally located to provide easy access to various parts of the house. A main entry opening into a foyer is usually preferable to an entry leading directly into the living room. It should be designed in such a way that people may be viewed without opening the door. Glass side panels provide visibility, natural light, and add to the design. A foyer should be at least 6 feet by 6 feet. The closet should be at least 2 ft. x 3 ft.
The service entrance is usually connected to the kitchen. The overall design may be improved by placing a mudroom or utility room between the kitchen and the service entrance.
Special-purpose entries are those providing access to patios, decks, and terraces. Sliding doors are often used for this type of entry. Service and special-purpose entrances are not usually as impressive as the main entry.
Living Rooms…
The living room, for many families is the center of activity. Depending on the specific occasion, it may be a play room for children, a TV room, or a conversation place. Some homes have more than one living room: one formal, and one more casual. The size and arrangement will depend on the lifestyle of the client who will ultimately use it. The most important questions to ask regarding size and design of a living room are: What furniture is planned for this room? How often will the room be used? How many people are expected to use the room at any one time? How many functions are combined in this one room? And, is the living room size in proportion to the rest of the house?
Dining Rooms…
Most modern homes today have a dining room. The main function of a dining room is to provide a special place for eating. Many modern homes provide eating areas in the kitchen for informal meals, and a separate dining room for more formal gathering. Dining rooms vary greatly in size. In most cases, the dining room size would depend on the number of people who will be able to used it at a given time, the furniture that will be included, and clearance for traffic through the room. Place the dining room between the living room and kitchen. This provides for natural movement of guests from living room to dining room with minimal confusion.
Family Recreation Room…
In modern homes, there is a trend toward providing a specially designed room call a recreation room, family room, music room, hobby room, or rumpus room. The basic purpose of a family recreation room is to provide a place where the family can play or engage in hobbies. Design this room so that it is functional and easily maintained. Pool tables and game tables need plenty of space around them.
Special-Purpose Rooms…
After the primary rooms of the living area have been planned, consider special-purpose rooms. These rooms may include a home office, sunroom or atrium, greenhouse, etc.
The Service Area
The Service Area supplies equipment and space for maintenance, storage, and service. This includes the kitchen, laundry room, garage or carport, utility, and storage. Due to its varied function, the service areas will require careful planning.
The Kitchen
The principle use for the kitchen is food preparation. It may, however, be extended to include an eating area, laundry, and storage. Kitchen design present problems that are unique. Inefficiency and added cost will result if the problems are not solved satisfactorily. From the standpoint of cost, the kitchen is usually the most expensive room in the house per square foot, and receives the most active use of any room.
Efficient kitchen planning involves the placement of appliances, providing adequate storage cabinets, and food preparation facilities. This placement creates the food preparation center, cleanup center, and cooking center. In designing kitchens, give considerable thought to the general location of each of the kitchen components. The arrangement should be logical and designed to minimize the amount of walking.
The work triangle is one measure of kitchen efficiency. It is determined by drawing a line from the front of the range or cooktop to the refrigerator to the sink and back to the range. For good kitchen design, this distance should not exceed 22 feet.
Provision for food storage and cooking utensils should be located near the areas where they are to be used. For example, a person should not be required to walk across the kitchen to get pots and pans which are always used on the range. Store them near the cooking area.
The kitchen designer has six (6) basic styles to choose from:
1. Straight Line
2. L-shaped
3. Corridor
4. U-Shaped
5. Peninsula
6. Island
Kitchen eating area
A kitchen eating area is convenient for serving informal meals and snacking. It should be located outside of the food prep area, but convenient to it. When planning an eating area in the kitchen, allow sufficient space. So, the overall size of the kitchen will be larger.
Clothes Care Center
A clothes care center provides the location and facilities for washing, drying, pressing, folding, storing, and mending clothes. It is intended to be more than a utility room. Many utility rooms are drab and are located away from other service areas of the house. The clothes care center is intended to be bright, cheerful, and convenient. It should be large enough to provide adequately for the activities to be performed there.
Garage or Carport
The primary purpose of a garage or carport is to provide shelter for the family automobiles. It may be small and simple, large and complex, attached to the house, or free standing away from the house.
The size and location of the garage or carport will depend on the number of cars, the size and layout of the house, and the space available. Several factors should be considered when deciding between a garage or carport. A carport provides less protection for the car than a garage, since it is open on one or more sides. A garage supplies more security than a carport. Certain house styles look better with one than another. In cold climates, a garage may be more desirable. Carports are less expensive to build than garages and are fine for warmer climates. The overall space may be increased considerably if a work area or utility storage is planned into the garage area.
The Sleeping Area
The Sleeping Area is where a family sleeps, rests, and bathes.
Bedrooms: A three-bedroom home usually provides enough space for a family of four. An extra bedroom may be wise to include in the plan which can be used as a guest room, or for other purposes until needed.
Grouping bedrooms together in a separate wing of the house provides solitude and privacy. Each bedroom should have its own access to the hall. The master bedroom must have its own private bathroom, closets, and dressing area. The closet needs to be designed for 2 people with ample room. The minimum depth of a wall closet is 24 inches, but 30 inches is better. Walk-in closets provide nice options. Good closet lighting is a necessity. Fixtures may be placed inside. Each bedroom must have its own closet. Try to place each bedroom door close to a bathroom. Many times, closets and storage areas can insulate quiet areas from louder ones. Other options include insulating interior walls for sound proofing.
Bathrooms…
Does every bedroom get its own bathroom? Not usually! But you can if you want to. The bigger issue is convenien, and private access to the bathrooms from the bedrooms…especially when someone is sick. Another common concern is locating the bathrooms fairly near one another for reduced plumbing costs. Do some measuring around your home. Measure wall to wall, toilet space, and vanity (sink & undercabinet) placement. This will help you consider spaces in your design.
Doors and Windows
Doors need to be placed for easy, logical, and safe access to each room. Hinged door are usually placed so they open into a room from a hallway and into an adjacent wall. Bifold and sliding doors are great choices when swingroom and front access is limited(like a hall closet). There are many different types of doors and windows, but initial placement is good enough for now. Just make a 3 or 6 foot(for double doors) break in the wall where you want to place a doors.
Windows: Each room is required to have at least ONE window for escape in case of fire. Building Codes now required a minimum size for at least one window in a room. Fire and Rescue must to be able to get themselves and equipment IN, and you OUT. Make a 3 foot opening in your outside walls to indicate where you want to place windows.
Reminders:
· Allow the correct amount of space for each major activity, but not too much!
· Design areas to serve dual, non-conflicting purposes.
· Keep major traffic routes short.
· Plan for adequate storage space and closets. No wasted space!
· Plan a functional, fun kitchen.
· Plan efficient, well-placed bathrooms.