Lozenges?

This house is a different shape - I called it a lozenge, but like the round homes it is all open plan space.

The lozenge shape is conceived to gain the benefit of a panoramic view with a sweeping patio area surrounding the living space.  Bathroom, utility room and the staircase are tucked away at the back and the TV lounge has doors for soundproofing.

The Lozenge House Floor Plan

The renders are not the best on this but I have been unable to recreate them because it used a design flaw in the programme to create multi-level homes

Open plan kitchen with windows situated behind the cabinets to maximise lighting.
A free standing display storage unit screens the staircase

A second display unit is situated between the kitchen and the glazed doors providing access to the TV Lounge

The living space is nestled in the central area to benefit from a sweeping patio and the fabulous views

Eco Open Plan

Another dream house theme for me is being able to benefit from ecologically sound principles. Using the right building materials is important, taking advantage of renewable energies where it is feasible so many of my designs have large windows to support solar gain and natural space heating.

The ground builds up around the bottom to the left of the plan

This design goes even further though ... called Sous Terrain ... it is partially underground and has the addition of solar thermal panels and a grey water system.

Large Windows for Solar Gain

Solar thermal panels both at ground level and on an adjacent 'shed'
which houses the pumping systems for the solar thermal and the grey water.
Some of solar thermal output heats a swimming pond.
(absent house walls courtesy of design program flaw)

Where the house is sous terrain the windows are raised to
accommodate the changing ground level 

Through the archway the master suite is underground,
on a mezzanine level to accommodate a dressing room below.

The front entrance has a glazed screen to maintain ambient temperature

Going Round Again

This is another home in the round that I designed quite a while ago now.  This one had a backstory:

It belongs to a couple - an artist and a musician.  They each want studio space but don't want it cluttering up their living space.  

So this house was built two storeys, but without a first floor in it.  A mezzanine level has been added across the back 2/3rds.  The house is entered from a deck into a large open plan kitchen and utility area and adjacent dining area.

Behind the dining area the lounge is partially divided by the placement of sideboards and an open corridor leads to the spiral staircase to access the mezzanine and the back door.  

Behind the kitchen the master bedroom has a luxury ensuite bathroom and the windows are set high in the walls to allow light but privacy.  

The mezzanine provides two studio areas - an open art studio over the lounge and a closed and soundproofed music studio over the master bedroom.  Guests can be accommodated on the mezzanine level too.

In the Round

I don't know why but round houses appeal to me.  Whether it is the oddness of furniture that doesn't quite fit the curved walls or perhaps it is that the curved walls free us up form having to put everything around the edges of the room?  So here are a couple of takes I have done on Living in the Round.

This first set is based on a photograph of Lamlash, on Arran (taken from the Holy Isle).  With a view like that why wouldn't you want a round home that had lots of big windows in every direction?

The heart of this circular home is a kitchen with breakfast bar which screened the dining area which is on a raised plinth. Across the hallway from the kitchen is a lounge benefiting from an array of circular windows, a quiet study area and a spiral staircase upto the mezzanine level guest room.

The interior is divided up using metal columns and beams and the master bedroom is screened behind a block wall.  There is no doorway - a section of parallel block wall is stood back to allow an open access to the bedroom or the ensuite.

To make the most of the views, and the privacy of the screen  wall the bed is placed against the screen wall.  A wardrobe and dressing area located to the left and the ensuite bathroom to the right - complete with decorative circular window feature.

Who wouldn't want a view like this?