Search the Community

This a subject that will crop up in every house design from entrance to back door as well as room linking. If you need to develop a long thin house or long thin extension, it should be a priority to consider the nature of the links or corridors as much as the rooms themselves. That may seem obvious, but I'm sure we've all been in offices, hotels, guest houses and even recently designed homes where evidently no consideration has been paid to the links and passages. There should at least be a naturally lit, or moving artificially lit 'goal' at the end. There should also be events, activities, punctuation, changes in wall/daylight, especially if they are unavoidably long. Now I know these spaces are being paid for at the same rate as the rest of the house, so why not make the space and goal work for its cost, for the delight of all? As mentioned earlier in the blog 'Bays and Oriels', a useful and calm daylit spot can be created along a corridor, perhaps associated with built in shelving and of comfortable seating and small table, to act as a workspace, for homework, contemplation of the garden view or the last of the days sun or a bird table...all to taste. The corridor could be totally shelved for books, records or CDs, a postcard collection or even a well lit mini art gallery, or planted wall, depending on your hobbies and fancies. It is something I've often tried to design into my projects, houses that never to seem offer enough storage. The theme is expanded at least in 'A Pattern Language' by Chris Alexander et al (a must) and Frank Lloyd Wright designs (see Wright Sized Houses by Diane Maddex) along with other design books reviewed in my book "Self build Home...the Last Thing You Need is an Architect"...info on Cargocollective.com. Cheers, Caliwag