Floor plan proposal for a 3-storey townhouse, 6 rooms

Hello everyone,

next year we are planning to build a home for our family of 5 (3 children aged 0-4). We are currently in advanced planning stages with an architect for a superbly located building gap, which may be developed with a 3-story semi-detached townhouse with a flat roof.
We have now received floor plan proposals from the architect. To benefit from the experiences of those reading along here, I would like to present the floor plans for discussion. Perhaps someone will have improvement suggestions, or things they would have liked to do differently afterwards.
Our requirements: 3 similarly sized children's rooms each with their own shower bath, parents' room with dressing area, study, open-plan kitchen-living area. Carport with storage room and access to the garden (so you don’t have to go through the whole house with a wheelbarrow etc.).
About the plot: It is 316 sqm, relatively elongated, width towards the street about 9 m. The garden faces south, the view to the back is unobstructed because of green space / park area.
I am particularly interested in how you assess the amount of parking space offered. I would have preferred a pitched gable/hip/shed roof or similar to have some storage space, but a flat roof is mandatory. We will not afford a basement considering the costs (high groundwater level -> a white tank is necessary in any case).
Thank you very much for your suggestions!

Christian K.

You should try adjusting the floor plans differently again. At least my glasses were not sufficient.

From what I could guess, you don’t have much storage space, and that with 3 children.
Is the space under the stairs used in any way?
The room behind the carport is open?
At least according to the picture, the basement is smaller than the first floor. Judging by the stairs, the walls on the garden side are stacked on top of each other and set back at the entrance area, right? Do you have the exterior views for that?
As a layperson, I would say there is still room for storage in the basement.

The house looks very modern. Is the neighboring development like that too?

Hello Musketeer,

thanks for the quick reply. I didn't even notice that the graphics were scaled down so much. Unfortunately, I can't edit the post (maybe haven’t posted enough yet?), but I’m attaching readable versions here.
Regarding your comments:
1. The limited storage space is something that also gives me a headache. Since it is a continuous staircase, there is only space under the first staircase on the ground floor that we will use. Otherwise, the utility room, walk-in closet, and the small storage room on the 1st floor will probably have to be filled with ceiling-high shelves or cabinets. I would also definitely plan an additional garden shed.
2. Yes, at least in this version the room behind the carport is open to the garden. Besides the drawn-in garbage bins, we want to store bikes there (probably with space-saving wall mounts), bike trailers, and possibly garden stuff. But we have also thought about whether at least a gate to protect the bikes would make sense.
3. Correct, the ground floor is recessed around the entrance door as well as above the small square terrace area directly at the back door. The 2nd floor is also slightly recessed at the front and back.
4. The neighborhood is quite mixed: partly still unrenovated smaller apartment buildings, some newer single-family and semi-detached houses, and some commercial properties (car repair shop) on the other side of the street. I wouldn’t have minded a “more traditional” house with a gable or hip roof either, but unfortunately this is not allowed. On the other hand, the three full floors without sloping ceilings certainly have advantages.

Attached are the larger graphics (just noticed only 5 files are allowed per post, so for now only ground floor and 1st floor):

I still have a simple solution for storage. Create just as much storage on the 2nd floor as on the 1st floor and then place the bathroom at the back. Or you completely sacrifice the street view in favor of more storage on the 2nd floor by also placing the children's bathroom at the front and maybe creating storage between the children's bathroom and the children's room. When I think about everything we already have to store (without children). You as Leipzigers??? might also have some Christmas stuff. I also immediately think of vacuum cleaner and cleaning supplies. Then as a homeowner you also always have tools, construction materials, screws, cables, boards, etc. lying around and maybe a small workbench standing around. You don’t even have a locked garage where you can store things. Is the study a private study or do you work there daily?