Floor plan discussion / Single-family house on an elongated plot with NE orientation

nevertheless, I had the question of why people are more generous with it in the basement than in the actual living space, which is rather limited.

Yes, I can’t get the thought out of my head, after reading what you wrote, whether one wouldn’t get a bit more comfort for 5 people with 2 levels without a basement and then somewhat more generous living space, be it in the entrance area or in the kitchen. Freezer on the ground floor, utility room on the upper floor. .

Of course the lemon guardian will get in touch, he is just a bit busy right now.

First of all, thank you for your many feedbacks! At first, I was a bit apprehensive about posting the floor plan here (I know your criticism is meant to be constructive), but after weeks of pondering and planning, you just get attached to your ideas. Your comments were really great and show how quickly you get caught up in details and overlook other important things.

Regarding our general ideas / and why it is planned as it is (or not planned):

[*]Overall design, house exterior dimensions: It was important to us to keep the garden as large as possible since we really like being outside. We also wanted to have all the bedrooms on one level and keep the house exterior dimensions small.
[*]Basement: The basement is practically mandatory for us because we need (a lot of) storage space for sports equipment (fishing, bicycles that should not be kept in the garage) and hobby stuff, and we want a study room in the basement. The idea to move the study room to the basement is based on the hope of having a "quieter spot" than on the ground floor. The lighting is actually supposed to come through a large window (2x1m) including a light well. The remark about the 12 sqm is legitimate, maybe it could be designed a bit larger. Furthermore, in the "hobby" room there should be the possibility of a small tinkering/crafting corner including a workbench.

Regarding your comments and questions (thank you again):

[*]Terrace: The terrace faces away from the street, and the passage to the garden has a door (to prevent exactly that wind tunnel effect, is that still an issue?). So visibility is only possible from the neighboring property. (The site plan from the development plan in the first post has to be rotated 180°, maybe that caused some confusion). Or was something else meant by visibility and I misunderstood?
[*]Ground floor study: We rather thought of the room as a "family study"/alternative room for homework and a second workplace since we sometimes work from home simultaneously. The room actually only came into being during the planning process. A bit narrow, yes, but as a simple guest room for occasional overnight stays I think it’s okay.
[*]Second level in the children's rooms: This is intended as a possible sleeping place for later. I have already thought that it might be tight. Does anyone have concrete design guidelines on how it should look?
[*]Kitchen/Pantry: Thank you very much for the suggestion to plan the kitchen cupboards into the staircase void. Completely moving the pantry out of the ground floor would also provide a bit more space, but then there would be no place to put the "open appliances" (kitchen machine, air fryer, etc.) and the room would be quite tunnel-shaped... as always, both have pros and cons and you are surrounded by boundary conditions ;)
[*]Living/Dining area: We derived the size from our current apartment, which we manage well. We also looked at model homes and thought it was okay. But maybe we have to rethink where and how the children will run around/play in the future. TV is not a big deal for us, so we kept the space minimalistic.
[*]Storage living/dining area: Very good point, I had already noticed that this could be an issue but didn’t think further about it. One more remark, the seating window will be designed as a bench window (with drawers as inserts into the bench), and to the left of it the "backrest" will be a shelf. Do you have other ideas for more storage? Apart from reducing the glazing on the right (and then it’s in the way), I can’t think of anything.

We have also created a plan without a basement. For us, it is a "last resort" with 165 sqm, with major compromises especially regarding storage space. But I’m happy to share it with you if you want to see it (only if you promise not to try to talk me out of the basement).

Thanks again!

.... not trying to talk me out of the basement ;).

We won’t do anything else....! - Just kidding. But the fact is, in my opinion, you rank hobbies higher than "real life." I understand that people like being outside, enjoy fishing, etc., but primarily it’s about creating a suitable space for five adults. Soon, at least, every resident will develop their own needs (and quirks), like an adult. I actually consider deriving that from the current state (not just the living room) a misplanning. In my view, this often happens when someone didn’t have something before (e.g., in a small apartment) and now wants it in the house. I would find it a shame if you reduced the glass surfaces, but about 40sqm of open living space is not much (considering the expensive basement request). I was not bothered by the size of the study in the basement but by the fact that this permanently takes place in the basement while other, ample basement areas are being built, whereas upstairs it is very tight or, in my opinion, too small—for five people. In a townhouse, people say you sell it eventually, but this house shouldn’t be too small by design when the kids are grown. Nowadays they stay home for a very long time—just imagine that (though a basement cell might be suitable for one or another again). On the ground floor, you have hardly any storage or space, while there is endless space in the basement; that simply doesn’t fit. Why shouldn’t fishing rods and bikes be stored in the carport or an above-ground garden shed, which can be generously sized? All that is much more comfortable and significantly cheaper; my workbench is in the extension of the extended carport. I would understand if the budget were limited and you lived in a tiny house; then no more is possible. But living in a relatively small house because I want to gain a few square meters of garden and give up necessary living space because I want to dance in the basement—that would never occur to me. Just imagine your good floor plan expanded with the sensible/necessary things and space for five, plus a nice garden house; why should that be nothing? I believe you lack the imagination of five older, sometimes exhausting, perhaps occasionally sick persons or guests over many many years. Build your house—but I wouldn’t do it like this with the basement anymore, because you don’t need it, but it harms your living house. Yes, just submit your other plan. As I said before, I find it a huge imbalance of priorities. For all that money, you could buy your own fishing pond.

What is a bicycle doing in the basement?

We have also created a plan without a basement. For us, it's an "emergency solution" with 165 sqm, involving major compromises especially regarding storage space. But I am happy to share it with you if you want to see it (only if you promise not to try to dissuade me from having a basement).

Yes, show it here (and explain what makes it an "emergency" solution. I don’t try to dissuade anyone from basements, meaning I don’t get my own hands dirty with that; I leave that to my 11ant basement rule (although only with Zeichenknecht plans, of course). If there is an architect and they have planned with a basement, then I accept that as it is (even if I see no site conditions supporting it here). In performance phase 3 this train at this stop has already passed. Since I personally agree with the office chamber on the ground floor, I have only added the notes on the standard dimension rhythm and the single-sided reveals.

I really like the floor plan. They got a lot out of the given conditions. And I am definitely pro basement. With 3 kids, quite a bit accumulates until the youngest has outgrown it. Ice skates, skates, fleet of vehicles, clothes, etc. Then comes the phase when the pantry more closely resembles an Aunt-Enso store to keep the teenagers fed.

Go through the floor plan again and again in everyday life. Make the meter stick your friend. What is already too small now should become bigger, what fits now should not become smaller. Draw in your desired or existing furniture, taking into account movement space. Make sure your room program fits. By that I don’t just mean the number of rooms, but also what has to fit in. The display case with trophies, the shoe collection, the books, etc.