Competent, creative architect wanted in the Ruhr area

Addendum to the hip roof: no slope is specified in the development plan itself...

Good evening,

1) Penthouse floors have been allowed retrospectively. The last architect then said that a flat or shed roof would be placed on top, which we don't really find appealing. Is this "Mediterranean" roof style also approved there?
Example:
Example Mediterranean city villa with a hip roof

Only if a hip roof is permitted.

We could quite imagine that. But the normal development plan states FR (flat roof), we do not know the exact wording of the supplement/extension.

If no hip roof is allowed in the supplement to the penthouse floor, unfortunately it won't work.

Does that mean that if you only build 2/3 with 2.30 m height and further areas with less than 2.30 m height, that would still be okay? For example, a knee wall of 2.00 m if the 2/3 rule is observed? Of course always including the surrounding meter.

Simply put, that means you are allowed to fully build about 66.6% of the ground floor area in the penthouse floor; no more, no less, and nothing in between.

Do I understand the first paragraph on page 2 correctly that with no deviations from the development plan NO approval procedure is required at all (meaning not even the simplified application), so you could avoid the current three months processing time?

No, that only means that you don't have to submit an ordinary building application, but initiate a simplified approval procedure. In this case, the architect is liable with his signature under the plans for compliance with the development plan; the authority does not check. Nice side effect: the costs range between €50.00 and €100.00 depending on the municipality.

In summary, I would describe our current status as follows: if the "Mediterranean" penthouse floor is not possible and no one can name another slope-free / low-slope variant (which we still hope for if Mediterranean is also not possible), we will probably end up with the "normal" gable roof. There's really not much left to discuss then, except the design of the floor plans :(

As I read it, that's what it will come down to; but that is not the end of the world! A creative architect – of course not as cheap as a draftsman – is the means of choice here.

Why did you buy the plot at all if the underlying development plan is not your style at all?

Rhenish regards

Okay, so step one tomorrow morning: find out the exact wording of the addition, thanks! Step two would then be to find out whether the simplified procedure still takes three months.

A creative architect is exactly what we are still looking for. That's why this thread. So far it has just been creepy. Of course, he should get paid if he actually provides a service in the proper sense of the word. The casual introductory talks are nice, but I'd rather be straightforward and save time in exchange for money.

Um yes and we have searched for so many years for a nice plot of land and honestly didn’t think the current houses could cause such a problem! Of course, we can live with sloped ceilings if necessary, but 75 cm is definitely too little for us and in my opinion, that’s where the architect is needed and not me as a layman who then researches extensively and still only knows half.

We have reached about 1.6 m knee wall height for 1 story (NI). However, I advise against fixating on one aspect or strictly requiring it. This greatly limits the design flexibility.

Creativity means, for example, acting solution-oriented within the scope of possibilities. Creativity should be expected from everyone involved in the process. The architect is more than a mere executor or draftsman; he is a consultant. If you have already worn out 4 architects, the problem may not lie with the architects. This insight can also be creative. It would also be creative to imagine a life in a house that is not a Mediterranean city villa with a hipped roof. By the way, only the product name "Stadtvilla mit Walmdach" by clever marketing consultants of the house construction industry is creative. The floor plans and designs usually are not.

: How did you come up with the high knee wall? Was it rebuilt or...? I can't quite imagine that yet. Maybe you'd like to send some plans?

: SOLUTION-oriented is the keyword for creativity for me. If I visit an architect, send him all relevant documents beforehand, and clearly say that sloped ceilings are the most important discussion point for me, then of course the room dimensions and property details are discussed first, but if the "solution" is still to take a gable roof with a low knee wall, then maybe my idea of the work of an architect is wrong, but I thought that one could at least come up with SOME idea. Not suggesting any solution that at least somewhat meets my ideas cannot be acceptable to me in my opinion. And there were also other reasons why we consulted four architects - budget expectations (we informed ourselves about realistic magnitudes in advance (also here in the forum), amounts up to €200,000 came up. For 180m² without outdoor facilities...) or rejections from the architects. We haven't worn ourselves out but had initial talks. In the end, it should fit not only the budget but also the relationship between architect and client!