Before Drawing the Floor Plan: How Should a House Respond to Sun, Wind, and Privacy?
One orientation decision controls four linked outcomes: solar comfort, ventilation, privacy, and usable outdoor space. Before approving a floor plan, can the project team show how improving one outcome affects the other three? What must architectural design establish before the floor plan is drawn? Architectural design should begin with a site-response diagram showing buildable boundaries, true north, seasonal conditions, access, neighboring sightlines, terrain, vegetation, and outdoor priorities. Orientation is like setting a fixed hinge before attaching the … Read more