Exterior Appearances

Architects, of course, concern ourselves with the exterior appearances of the buildings we touch.  Owners, especially homeowners on the other hand, do not so much - they experience their buildings from the inside and their concerns reflect this.

As a result, I have witnessed a number of House Raise projects where the solution to light has been to duplicate the window arrangements that went into the original house.  This often fails in terms of a pleasing exterior design, but it seems logical and it seems to provide the light necessary for the new spaces below.  Here I am thinking of a project that creates a new unit below the existing one.  If you are adding to the existing it is another story, of course.  Then you might be changing a Kitchen into a Bedroom and the window needs change from the inside as well.

For now let's think of two more or less identical units stacked on top of each other.  The original building is a raised floor, single story residence.  The typical raised floor is about 2'-4' high.  The proportions of such a building are quite different from a two story building with the first story a slab-on-grade (SoG).  90% of House Raise projects have a SoG first floor. 

When one duplicates the window sizes and arrangements (along with floor plan duplications), one emphasizes the mass of the new structure.  Most often, this is the opposite of what the neighbors, and the planning department, would like to see. 

The solution is to deviate from the original plan a bit (or maybe a lot), changing the room arrangements slightly (or radically) and thereby creating a (much) more interesting exterior, with the windows as well as the entries, certain corners and any exterior stairs that may be necessary.  Oh - and decks.  Two decks above one another looks fine, but when they are offset or are on different sides they add a dynamic feel to the architecture that is often overlooked by the amateur designer or homeowner. 

The value in these details tends to be played down by financiers and real estate agents, who lean toward square foot considerations over design.  And perhaps this value is more intangible to the untrained eye.  However, even the untrained person can sense the difference, without being able to express what it is exactly.  I heard from one of my clients who owned a rental property we remodeled and added onto, that he never had to advertise for new renters.  This was of great value to him, but intangible to his real estate agent.

If you are a homeowner with the intent to design your own Building Beneath project, it would still behoove you to consult with an architect or an experienced designer before getting too far along.  Of course, many homeowners are anxious about getting involved with an architect because of fears that s/he will take these missives too far and design beyond the budget.  Regardless, it is best to get beyond these fears and anxieties, if even for only one or two consultations, before you get attached to something that can be much better with relatively minor suggestions.