a floor plan made distinctive

design by Rick and Cindy Black Architects, photo by Whit Preston

This 1940s bungalow in Austin makes for a great example of a floor plan made distinctive. Renovated by Rick & Cindy Black Architects in 2011, the project successfully updates this historic home to reflect the modern day lifestyle of its owners.

design by Rick and Cindy Black Architects, photo by Whit Preston

Bungalows while being a classic style of house somewhat miss the mark with having floor plans that reflect the needs and desires of their present day inhabitants. Rather, they have floor plans that match the lifestyle of the time in which most were built - the 1930s and 1940s. Seems logical right right that the design of a house would reflect the times and lifestyles in which it was built? This, however, is generally not the case with new construction. McMansions, as I categorize them, are disassociated from their inhabitants. To summarize (because I could ramble on about this) they are big to be big and are in many ways more accommodating to a car than the people who live in them. 

In this case and with the bungalow style in general, the house has good "bones". Its size and scale promote the use of the whole house (point number one for Eck) and its interior relates to its exterior in its entryway, siting and window design (point number three and four). What is missing are points two and five which speak to how rooms relate to each other and the details of the spaces. The points, however, are also achieved with the home's renovation design. Walls were removed to create a more open floor plan allowing an ease and flow between the living room, dining room and kitchen. A new stair becomes a design feature adding not only better function (I am guessing that the original stair was quite narrow and probably in the back of the house) but a distinct design feature. The ceilings were raised to create an open, airy feel and a back hall is turned into a multi-functional space that includes a desk, storage and laundry. 

Below are a few more photos of the project as well as a floor plan. Enjoy! 

design by Rick and Cindy Black Architects, photo by Whit Preston

design by Rick and Cindy Black Architects, photo by Whit Preston

design by Rick and Cindy Black Architects, photo by Whit Preston

resource review: the distinctive home - part 2

The second key factor in creating a distinctive home is a well thought out floor plan. Eck begins this section of the book by explaining that the floor plan of a home should express the way its inhabitants live. Advocating a move away from manufactured, cookie cutter homes (I like to call them McMansions), Eck outlines a qualitative process to better understand the details of how one lives and then to create a space tailored to this discovery. 

For Eck, there are five critical ingredients to a distinctive floor plan. The first is that each room in the plan should be a place that is used and comfortable to be in. The second is that rooms need to work together. The third is that the plan needs to relate to the site outside. The fourth is that a plan should reflect a home's exterior and vice versa. Finally, the plan should have details that help define the use and feel of the space. Ultimately, for Eck "A distinctive floor plan can, at a glance, convey what is most important in our lives" (Eck, 119).  

New Construction: 
1. Eck proposes beginning with a wish list. This can include pictures and sketches but should be focused on the quality of rooms (for example - open and bright) rather than the specific aesthetic details. 
2. From this wish list, create a diagram that speaks to the relationship between spaces. A bubble diagram is often a good way to do this.
3. Determine how many stories by considering the context of the neighborhood - you probably would not want to build a tall two plus story house in a neighborhood of low ranches, what you prefer - a ranch that hugs the landscape or a two story home that provides views out, what will function best for you and your family - will you want to go up and down stairs everyday,  cost - often one story homes can be more expensive because they require more initial site construction and can cost more to heat and cool and finally think about the site and how you want the house to relate to it. 
4. Think about what type of plan would be best suited for you. Eck outlines three types. The first is the condensed plan which combines many activities into a small number of rooms. For example, the kitchen might share the same space as the dining and living rooms. This plan tends to be the most informal. The second and most common is the comprehensive plan. In this scheme, activities and their corresponding rooms are separated and distinct. The third and final type is the compound plan. In this plan, spaces/activities are given specific and distinct locations under separate roofs (think wings of a house). With this approach, hallways and connection spaces become extremely important. 

Purchasing a Home:
1. Same as above although it becomes particularly important not to focus on just the aesthetics. When looking at a potential new home,  think more generally in terms of size and relationship of rooms rather than paint color or flooring. Make sure to take a step back and really think about the layout of the home and how well it fulfills your wish list.
2. Same as above.
3. This point applies with some adjusting. When looking at a home see how it fits into the rest of the neighborhood - you do not want to be "that huge house at the end of the block". Think about the houses that you gravitate towards - if you love the two story farmhouse aesthetic you might not be happy with a one story midcentury contemporary. With regards to function, focus on the layout and size of a potential home - do you really want to have to clean five bathrooms. For costs, think about how the floor plan of the home with affect heating and cooling costs - open and airy might have lower cooler costs but higher heating bills and maintenance - single stories generally have quite a bit more roof area than two stories. Finally, don't forget to gather an understanding of how the house relates to its site.
4. Same as above and choose accordingly. 

Modifying a Home: 
1. While you are unable to change the whole layout of your home, think about how you use your current spaces and if you are optimizing them. For example, if you have a formal dining room that you never use could you add doors and make it into a home office. 
2. Does not apply.
3. Does not apply.
4. Does not apply. 

Check back in tomorrow for a distinctive floor plan example!

home feature: dutchess county residence guest house

 In my last year of graduate school, I had the pleasure of taking a studio with Brad Cloepfil of Allied Works Architecture. I learned an incredible amount that semester and am very grateful for all Brad taught me about site, place and making.

Allied Works has amassed an extremely impressive body of work over the years. Under the guidance of Brad, the studio approaches each project from a point of discovery - seeking to reveal the "elemental principles that drive each building project" (Allied Works). One of my favorite works, is the Dutchess county residence guest house. Located on 350 acres on the eastern slopes of the Hudson River Valley, the guest house was the first of three buildings to be completed on the site (the main house was just recently finished). Hovering above a bend in Ryder Creek, the 1300 square foot structure both stands apart framing its wooded natural surroundings as well as blurs into it. For me what makes this project so successful, is its bold yet simple gesture of a continuous ribbon of steel that unites the building with the landscape. See below for a few images of the project and make sure to head over to Allied Works website to see more amazing architecture.