Ugly house re-design

[Lift span]

Hello all,

 

We have a split level house with an ugly front which is in need of a re-design.

 

The entrance way was originally via external steps up to the first floor. The lack of any proper membrane resulted in a lot of penetrating damp so I've removed the steps plus earth and rubble that was against the house and now we are damp free.

 

I'd like a double height entrance hallway with lots of light. Attached is an idea I've had for a completely new look.

 

What do people think?

 

Although it looks like a bungalow the left side of the house has two storeys also as the bottom floor is sunken at the back. The entrance way would step down into this level.

FrontJan2019v2.pdf

[ProDave]

That new entrance certainly looks a lot better.  A floor plan might make more sense of how it would connect to both floors.

[epsilonGreedy]

14 minutes ago, Lift span said:

What do people think?

 

 

Generally looks good for diy architecture though I am having a bad reaction to the roof angle of the dormer window. Which way does the double height entrance atrium face?

[ultramods]

I don't like the sloped roof on the atrium, have you considered a flat roof, something like this?

 

[jack]

12 minutes ago, ultramods said:

I don't like the sloped roof on the atrium, have you considered a flat roof, something like this?

 

 

Beat me to it, I agree.

 

I do like the way the double-height bit in the middle comes out from the rest of the house, but it doesn't (to my eye) work where its roofline meets the roof to the right. You could also consider whether having a dual pitched roof over the atrium might work - could be a bit fussy getting it to sit with the rest of the roof though.

 

To my eye, the windows under the dormer look like they're too far to the right. It think they might look better moved to the left to leave some space between them and the double-height section. Not sure how that works with the dormer above.

 

I like the mix of materials, although I'm not sure about the cladding to the bottom left. To me, cladding feels lightweight, and shouldn't sit underneath heavier-looking construction. 

 

I'm not a huge fan of the wide roof over the dormer on the left. I see why you've done it in terms of pitch-matching, but it draws more attention to itself than I think is ideal.

 

Overall though, it's a great start - fantastic improvement over what you're starting with.

 

Oh, and before you go too far, have you considered solar gain given how many windows are being introduced to this elevation?

[Lift span]

Thanks for the replies so far, much appreciated!

 

Here is a floor plan and some different views. As it's over four levels it's confusing (people get lost in our house!).

 

To get to the kitchen for example you would enter, go down, then turn right up the stairs.

[Lift span]

Thanks for the alternative idea for the front. What I really need is these alternative ways of doing it!

 

Ultramods, my first impression is that I don't like the boxy look. Looks a bit to office like for me. But it's a look I hadn't considered so that is good.

 

I did come up the the look below as well with a dual pitch. Is that what you mean Jack?

 

Edited January 28, 2019 by Lift span

[Lift span]

By the way, the front elevation is directly south facing.

[Lift span]

Here is a non pdf version of my original post

 

[ultramods]

20 minutes ago, Lift span said:

Thanks for the alternative idea for the front. What I really need is these alternative ways of doing it!

 

Ultramods, my first impression is that I don't like the boxy look. Looks a bit to office like for me. But it's a look I hadn't considered so that is good.

 

I did come up the the look below as well with a dual pitch. Is that what you mean Jack?

 

 

I prefer this to this first idea you showed us. However I don't like how the roof on the main house gable is lower on the left side compared to the right. Can it not be symmetrical?

 

 

 

[jack]

24 minutes ago, Lift span said:

I did come up the the look below as well with a dual pitch. Is that what you mean Jack?

 

 

Yes, but it still has the problem of one roof merging into another: 

 

 

I think it looks strange, especially with the lack of symmetry as mentioned by @ultramods  I think you may also struggle making it look as neat as this in real life. For example, how will you blend ridge tiles into the merged portion?

 

I think it'd look better if the roof over the atrium were clearly higher or lower than the roof it presently merges with. It's achieving that without fussy joints that may be a challenge, and that's why a flat roof could potentially be a solution.

 

If it's south facing, you really want to be thinking about solar gain control. Fixed or moveable slats might be an option. External would be best from a functionality point of view, but will likely be more expensive and visually intrusive.

[ProDave]

The split level thing needs some thought / internal reorganisation.

 

I did some work in a house where someone had created a semi basement,  but to get upstairs from the semi basement you needed to enter on the entrance level, go down half a flight to the semi basement, then up a full flight to the upstairs.  It was just so disjointed and clumsy.  You appear to have a bit of that.

 

What is needed is the the entrance to come in on the "middle" level, from where you stay on that level, or go up or down to the other levels.

 

I think what I am saying is the floor from the entrance needs to be level up to the stairs, from where you go up or down to other levels, so some re jigging of the staircase.

[Mr Punter]

I am with @ProDave it looks like it was designed by Escher.

 

The section on the left below has a monopitch roof that works OK as it is set a bit lower than the adjacent roof. Also, as @jack suggests, cladding above masonry = OK, not the other way round.

 

[joe90]

+1 for the dual pitched roof, separate from the main roof to make the sides equal on the main roof.

[Ferdinand]

I think the need here is that the facade is too bitty; it needs simplifying and tying together.

 

I don't like the dual pitch on the double height at the front as is; it looks like a signal box with a hat. I think you could improve that by making the fenestration or cladding have a strong vertical texture, and obliterate the external perception of 2 floors. As it stands it does not look visually part of the house - there are no seamless joins.

 

I like the previous monopitch version in some way as it balances the facade, but for that you need the roofs to be properly integrated; but on that version the leanto roof does not work. I think that horizontal roofs would improve your first version, so that you have a third element to the facade drawing it together.

 

On the roofs, I think you need to make the atrium roof different or the same - not slightly different and complicated. I think a seamless sweep into the existing rh roof would work, or a flat top to the atrium. I think if you are going for a double pitch, perhaps you need to be thinking about a finished wall surface rather than steel and glass.

 

Have you considered an entry on the LHS of the atrium not the front? Would give you more scope for a seamless looking addition.

 

F

[Ferdinand]

We don't normally talk about going on television, but Ugly House to Lovely House is one of the more humane ones, imo.

 

F

[Roz]

48 minutes ago, Ferdinand said:

We don't normally talk about going on television, but Ugly House to Lovely House is one of the more humane ones, imo.

 

F

I like this programme . You seem to get free architectural services... but the designs come in too expensive for most of the budgets. This might have gotten better in series 2 maybe

[the_r_sole]

.

Edited September 26, 2019 by the_r_sole

[Lift span]

"Escher", I like it!  It would be a great name for the house!

 

I don't like the lean-to roof on the left either. My idea was to make that a store room with access from the outside only.  

 

Here are a couple of variations:

 

Edited January 28, 2019 by Lift span

[Lift span]

Yes, the house is approached from the front as in the photo.

 

I did think about approaching one of those programmes but I'm more of a diy'er than an exhibitionist!

 

 

Edited January 28, 2019 by Lift span

[Mr Punter]

There seems to be at least six rooms on the floor plan for what I assume is the living area floor(s). Is it bedrooms and bathrooms on the top floor(s)? Are the left and right hand offset vertically by about half a floor?

 

I think that with a different stair / level arrangement, you could make much more of the space and link it together more coherently but it may be that it works fine as it is.

[Lift span]

That's a good question. It's very quirky which is why we bought it! But it works really well, apart from the front entrance. The levels are split by about 80cm so not that much.  Yes, there are a lot of living type rooms and only three bedrooms. Hence, in the future we may do a loft conversion.

[Ferdinand]

The LHS front would make a very nice flat roofed veranda/dining terrace, which would also help with your solar gain management. COuld be accessed through big doors from the front room.

 

And you could make the downstairs rooms on the other side useable as a spare bedroom, which could be a downstairs master suite for your dotage.

 

F

[Lift span]

Another try:

 

Edited January 28, 2019 by Lift span

[ultramods]

I still don’t think it looks right. 

 

Do you need the glass section to “stick out” from the rest of the house? I have double height glass, but it’s all flush with the rest of the house.