1. CHAPTER 2 Basic House Designs
AT – 202
Introduction to Architecture
Dan Trent
January 23, 2013

2. OBJECTIVES List four basic house designs
Explain the chief advantage of each house design
List disadvantages of each house design
Explain traffic circulation in a floor plan

3. KEY TERMS Intermediate Level Lining Level One-and-One-Half Story
One-Story Ranch
Sleeping Level
Split-Level
Traffic Circulation
Two-Story

4. ONE STORY RANCH DESIGNS
CHARACTERISTICS
All regular living space on one level
Low pitched roof
Usually over a crawl space or on a slab
ADVANTAGES
Indoor/outdoor living
Patios, porches, and terraces
Glass brings outdoors in (looks bigger)
Easy maintenance (painting, cleaning gutters)
Easy to add on rooms/wings

5. DISADVANTAGES Higher cost (roof area)
Larger “footprint” requires larger lot
Difficult to heat since it is so spread out
Hallways
Dormers

6. One-and-One-Half Story
CHARACTERISTICS
Essentially a ranch house with a steeper roof that allows use of the attic for living space

7. ADVANTAGES Lower cost (roof)
Expandable (if one wishes to finish attic space)
Versatile (finish “upstairs” later as family grows)
Lower heating/cooling cost

8. DISADVANTAGES Low head room along perimeter
Steeper roof, stairs, and dormers add to cost
Wasted space at lower end of short walls (see figure 2-12 on page 41)

9. TWO-STORY DESIGN Advantages Disadvantages
Smaller “footprint” so smaller lot
Lower heating/cooling costs
More economical to build (2 floors, one roof)
Disadvantages
Stairs
Out of “style” in favor of contemporary look
Not easily modified or “dressed up”
Difficult maintenance (gutters, painting)

10. TWO-STORY DESIGN
Classic examples

11. SPLIT-LEVEL DESIGN
As the name suggests, the house is “split” into multiple levels
Basement (heating/cooling equipment or storage)
Intermediate (garage or recreation room)
Living level (kitchen, dining, living, and bathroom)
Sleeping level (bedrooms and baths)
Side-by-side
Front-to-Back
Back-to-Front
(see pages 46-47)

12. SPLIT LEVEL DESIGN

13. TRAFFIC CIRCULATION
The movement of people from one area or room to another
Plan for maximum efficiency of movement
SHORT travel paths
DO NOT go through rooms to get to other rooms
Classic Kitchen Triangle –
Stove-Refrigerator-Sink

14. INTERNET RESOURCES www.OwensCorning.com www.gp.com/build/index.html
Building materials, composite, sustainability, d
Products, sustainability, products, safety, where to buy, resources (products = PLYTANIUM, resources = DOGHOUSE)
Roof shingles, bay windows, patios/decks

15. QUESTIONS (for YOU) List 4 basic residential house designs
Identify 5 advantages of the ranch style house
List 5 disadvantages of the ranch style house
A one-and-one-half story house can be recognized by its _________ ___________ , which often has ___________ to allow light into the attic
Traffic circulation must be planned for maximum efficiency of ______________

16. Thank you for your attention!
QUESTIONS?
Thank you for your attention!