Floor Plan Critique: Bell Tower House - What can be improved?

I must admit that at first glance I wondered whether every piece of land really needs to be built on and whether it might not be better to remain a nice meadow?

Secondly, I asked myself why anyone would build a sunken living room without reason. Yes, it might feel cozy at first, but eventually it just becomes annoying. Besides, the outdoor areas also need to be designed. A good interior designer can create coziness without digging a hole.

Privacy of the individual residents is the priority, which does not have to exclude openness, but the windows should still be well placed.

In fact, window planning holds the greatest deterrent potential for me. There is practically no privacy here. The large window surfaces face the church square, which lies 3m away. You are practically leading a public life with the whole city as spectators. It’s almost like the Truman Show.

I would seriously consider placing one of the common rooms upstairs.

I wonder why you first plan with a basement and after approval without?

Did you buy the property with an approved plan?

The TE won't be interesting enough for churchgoers to look into the living room. Chatting with others is more important. Just a few meters from my terrace is the parking lot of a bank and a doctor. I've already startled some people there.

If I ask Seat about the average selling price of a vehicle and then BMW, I will probably get completely different amounts quoted. But who is right then? The BMW salesman or the Seat salesman?

Certainly, a banker may know about this. But I also know more than enough people who have not paid such prices from 3,000 EUR/m² upwards. Is it wrong just because a single banker here in the forum says otherwise?

If 3,000 EUR/m² really were the minimum, almost nothing would be built in Germany anymore.

That is of course completely true. But at the Seat dealer you also don’t get an architect-designed house with rounded exterior walls / angles deviating from 90 degrees, split-level living room, flat roof, increased room height, lots of window area, etc.

At least not anymore at the Seat price. Because manufacturers like Seat cannot build high-end much cheaper either, but enable their prices through savings on individuality, expensive cost points, etc. There are also plenty of expensive models from “simple” manufacturers that show exactly that, like a Ford GT, Honda NSX, etc.

Just the exterior appearance alone screams money. With approximately 20x5m footprint here, you already have 25% more masonry / facade / windows, etc., compared to a normal 10x10m house (even though both offer a comparable living space inside). And those are the pure material increases; the special shape will cost extra. That is why I also see this house for 500k as almost impossible, especially without own contribution.
That may work without problems for standard houses with appropriate providers, maybe even somewhat cheaper, but not with such an object.

That I like unusual houses is no secret in this forum. I can very well imagine living in a house like this and accepting the sometimes impractical quirks without batting an eye.

Impractical quirks I would accept knowingly:
The completely convoluted bathroom
The steps into the sunken living room and the gained ceiling height
The few right angles and curves
The open office
The limited storage space

What I would still change:
The length of the staircase (possibly simply extending it into the office space and accepting a small landing).
Foregoing the platform for the dining table (possibly marking the change in level by a change of flooring, e.g. different types of wood or carpet)
Foregoing the small structural curve between the kitchen and dining area (should not pose a structural problem)

What is still unclear to me:
What about views from outside into the living area? Possibly I would take measures so as not to be sitting on a display plate. These do not necessarily have to be structural but could also be in the form of garden design.

What else comes to mind:
The flat roof is – assuming a nice view – a nice place for a roof terrace.
The façade design will largely determine how the form comes into its own. Simply plastering it would be a pity.
Here and there there will be detailed decisions where design beats the price. Those who are not very detailed and careful in planning here will quickly blow their budget by double-digit percentage points.

What I would also expect:
Such a house will come into its own when the interior design fits as well. In particular, the kitchen, dining, and living areas will not come into their own with off-the-shelf furniture.

My conclusion – without going into the budget in detail:
This house is not a project for people who calculate with a tight pencil.

I am in favor of a podium staircase.



The first 1-2 steps can be built over. Then shift the wall a bit.