Week In Review For Apt/Lofts In Denver

Posted on: April 23rd, 2010 | 16 Comments

This is Day 94 of the Slow Home Project, and we need you to join us in our quest to evaluate the design quality of houses in nine North American cities in nine months. This week we are analyzing apartment/lofts in Denver and today we are going to be reviewing the work from the past week.

Happy Friday everyone! In today’s episode we are announcing the winners of the “Slow Homer” of the week awards as well as reviewing the design projects that were submitted on Wednesday.

Click on the links below to reveal who has won the “Slow Homer of the Week” awards. Congratulations and thank you for contributing to our cause to improve the design quality of housing!

Now, onto the Design Project review. There were a lot of great schemes submitted this week and a lot of interesting discussion on the site about the various strategies. Basically, the designs fell into three categories depending on where the kitchen was located.

The first group had the kitchen on the far left side of the plan. This is an example submitted Paul C. Placing the kitchen in this location opens up the center of the plan for one large living space. The challenge with this strategy is that the living space now opens directly to the entry space. The benefit of this scheme is the minimization of any hallways to the bedrooms.

The second group placed the kitchens in the middle of the plan. This is an example by Brad W and it works really well. The strength of this scheme is that the living space is in the best part of the plan. The only drawback to this idea is that a hallway is created behind the kitchen to access the master bedroom.

The final group put the kitchen on the far left side of the plan, like this submission by Manolo. This allows for a really successful and efficient layout of the kitchen, living and dining spaces, but creates a larger entry area, which could be perceived as a waste of space if not detailed properly.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to submit a design project this week! We look forward to seeing everyone on Monday when we will be analyzing a town house project in Denver using the Slow Home Test. Have a great weekend!

  • MollyK

    Just a few notes to yesterday’s discussion:
    Paul C,
    Love your Italian pie reference. It brings up the issue of counter height again. What height works best for you…I don’t want to generalize your height because you a man, but wouldn’t logic dictate that you would (maybe) prefer a taller counter to roll out your dough. I know there is a comfort factor when using a rolling pin. Again, thanks for the photos. It makes for great discussion.

    Matthew,
    Yesterday’s kitchen review was fantastic. I appreciated the different examples. I also found your late night reply to Lacy to be full of useful information. It has been recorded in my reference notebook for the future. (It may come in handy if you and John have discrepancies during future “Which House…” episodes);-)

    Reaction to today’s episode:
    I struggled with the hallway issue in the redesign project. I find myself on the fence about hallways…it’s hard to avoid them totally. In the “middle” kitchen designs, the hallway into the 2nd bedroom lines up with windows on the opposite side of the room. I thought this was fortunate because natural sunlight could pour into the bedroom and into the hallway (more or less, depending on the orientation of the unit). Unfortunately, this is not always the case and what results is a dark tunnel. I also thought the hallway provided more privacy for the occupant of bedroom #2 and the shared bathroom for guests. But on the downside I did notice the circulation from the K/L/D areas wasn’t the most ideal.
    Does anyone else have observations about hallways. Overall, I think they are tricky…sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t.

  • Paul C

    [img]sl.jpg[/img]

    Molly K,
    Being 6’-1”ish , I have found that standard counter height (36”) is acceptable. Regardless the most important thing is the approach, “quanto basta”. (google David Rocco) In some ways it parallels the Slow Home philosophy.

    With respect to hallways, my four cents is that it is somewhat dependant on how much square footage one has to work with and the “flavor” (not sure if that is the best word) one desires. Incorporating circulation in a “room” or space tends to create more open, casual spaces. I have always felt that in some respect because a home is more open it may actually make it feel smaller for you can see and hear everything from anywhere. Some however may desire a room to be just a room and not a room with a travel path through it. This would tend to create a more formal settings, maybe more cozier, quieter spaces and because of the halls it might also engender a sense of surprise or anticipation as one moves through the home. “I wonder what is around that corner?” sort of thing. For larger homes I would attempt to make them more than just passageways. Not the route but the journey mindset. For a smaller home, if an “open” approach is taken, I would agree that they be used primarily when privacy is required.

    Last tidbit on the redesign. Regarding John’s solution, what I found effective is the manner in which the sightlines (posted image) from the entry are established without angling a wall, avoiding the colliding geometry pitfall. The view one has upon entering the home is towards the corner windows, the natural light and living space. I think that works very well.

  • Terri

    Paul has brought up the question of sightlines, and this is where I am confused by Matthew’s comment about seeing living room furniture upon entering an apartment. Is this because the living room is thought of as casual, and therefore, you don’t want someone able to just see you upon entry (even if it’s some twenty feet away)? I had thought that “open” meant that we should be able to view the windows from our entry area, as a bright greeting. Paul points out how John’s plan allows this vista (and the living room furniture, I might add…).

    I think I’m missing something here.

  • Terri

    MollyK,
    Regarding your hallway question…I think your point about a window at the end is totally valid. Long halls are to be avoided, but if there are vistas at the end, they may be tolerated better. I think I’m with you on the privacy hall issue too. I’d rather a short hall than a bunch of doors opening up on one central, but more open, space. That kind of configuration makes me think of a stage set–who will enter through what door when? :)

  • Paul C

    Terri,
    I will take a stab at that one. In my view there is the subtlety of open yet defined. If there is no sense of definition of the space then yes it may come across as walking directly into the living room. Devices such as ceiling/floor treatment, bulkheads, lighting, color and furniture can be used to define a space without closing them in. The sense of transitioning from one space to another is important, in my view.

  • Matthew North

    Hi Terri – thanks for your comments about “viewing” the living room from the entry. I think this is a matter of personal preference. I am of the belief that it is preferable to have a bit of visual separation between the living spaces and the front entry so the entry act as a space of transition and does not immediately open up to the entire interior. If I have people over and we are all sitting around in the living room and someone else comes to the door, I prefer it if they are not privy to a full view of what is going on inside. However, I do think that in some apartment/ loft projects it can be advantageous and dramatic to have the view open up right from the entry. I remember seeing some high rise apartment/ loft projects in magazines where the elevator lobby opens right into the main living spaces and immediately you are struck by the spectacular views and light. I find this sort of condition very spatially rich.

  • Mid America Mom

    Paul C LOL I was going to mention the same thing. The kitchen to the left made for entries I favor. John’s sightline was wonderful, I liked the wall in Lacey’s as we could put something prominent there, in Manolo’s I would flip the bench and closet and put a nice mirror above there.

    Terri- when I read your comment on doors in the open space I thought to Alice in Wonderland.

    Looking at the three types:
    -I least like the kitchen on the right. It was wonderful to tuck the kitchen out of way and it could work. But in this unit we just did not have adequate space to make it desirable, it was too tight. I admit that in situations like this I wish we had dimensions. The outside wall that extends from the kitchen and into dining area is 17 feet. The width of the kitchen would be about 2+3.5+3= 8.5 leaving 8.5 for a dining table and stools which is not quite enough (unless we go banquette which could not work in this plan with all those windows). This plan you had to place dining in that corner filled with light.
    -Us “middle kitchen-ers” addressed that by moving the back wall of the kitchen to the back of the plan by 2 feet (we did need it as we had more circulation to handle as well). The dining area was forced into its spot, the walk out to the deck did not interfere with the living space, and the second bedroom felt more private.
    -The kitchen to the left folks essentially had 20 by 17 feet for the living and dining space. That plan was the most flexible for furniture arranging, better at addressing the entry space, but less privacy for bedroom 2.

    Mid America Mom

  • Manolo

    Hey all, John and Matthew, thanks for the head nod! Sorry I don’t have a ton of time right now, but I’d like to share a link I found that celebrates Denver’s modern home design – enjoy!
    http://denmod.com/

  • MollyK

    Hello again,
    Just came in and read the comments.
    Paul,
    Your comment about the hall used as an “anticipation” about what’s around the corner, as well as “passageways” made me remember one house in particular in Dallas. The “LilyPad” house was my favorite from the Urban Reserve development because of its use of the hallway. Take a look at the link…you won’t be disappointed. http://www.urbanreserve.net/siteManageFiles/plugins/homes_for_sale/images/1250180634_UR60_Info_Sheet.pdf
    It is a great example of how the hallway is more than a hallway.
    Also, thanks for all the great information…as I’ve said before, knowledge is power (the good kind).

    Terri,
    I’m glad you brought up Matthew’s comments about the view from the front entry. I appreciate that he clarified his position which, I think, leads to more flexibility in how the entry can be defined. So much is dependent on the view…that’s becoming more clear to me (no pun intended):-)

  • BradW

    [img]1_shdp592.jpg[/img][img]brownrev.jpeg[/img]

    Remember vistas work in reverse – if the entry has a great view of the living room then the living room has a great view of the entry.

  • MollyK

    MAM,
    I read your comments on the 3 “kitchen” types and I found the same conditions when I viewed the various redesigns. There is always some compromise, especially in with smaller square footage. BTW, how’s the weather in Toronto? Are the temps still fluctuating?

  • MollyK

    Hey Brad,
    I think you just made a case for arranging furniture so that the back of your head will always be toward the entry. Sorry, Matthew. ;-)

    I have a similar issue in my home where, if you sit in a certain seat in the family room, you can see about two/thirds of the front door and the first step of the stairs to its right. Fortunately, the hallway is not long and you can’t see more than that. But, if the view were any larger I think I would attend to that area more when facing it from the family room. As it is, I don’t notice the view of the entry very much. Admittedly, I don’t sit in that seat alot (probably because of the view…Ha, Ha). Perhaps it depends on how much of the entry is visible from the living area and what it looks like (how its designed). Do you have further thoughts?

  • Mid America Mom

    hi MollyK thanks.
    Temps are stable this week. Hi mid 50′s to low 60′s which is about normal they say. This will be our second spring here and it is ok- I just have four coats handy! In later May we are vacationing in Orlando which looks to be mid 80′s (which is about my limit of tolerance for being outside without ocean or lake breezes). The 2 bed condo we are staying at is bigger than our apartment- feels so wrong.

  • MollyK

    MAM,
    That’s too funny about the condo size. I take it 95 degrees with 80% relative humidity is not your cup of tea? Don’t think you’ll be moving south anytime soon? Come to think of it…if you’re from the Midwest you should have experienced some Hot days minus the terrible humidity?
    Well, your temps sound nice as long as the sun is out and the winds are from the south to west, and not too gusty.
    The temp here 79 degrees and sunny and it’s time to go back into the yard to plant.
    Save me some comment lines…if I have enough energy I’ll sign on later. :-)

  • Terri

    Paul and Matthew,
    Thanks for addressing my question. I understand the transition idea. I guess I thought a little hall was a transition, but it seems I was a little off the mark. Back to the drafting table.

    BradW,
    I like your response to the sightline question.

    MAM and MollyK,
    Wish I was there–anywhere but here! On the usually mild west coast here we’re being hit by nasty northwest winds and the temperature is 48C. It’s kind of unusual to get winds from Siberia, which, as you can imagine, are just as bad as Arctic winds. Hope our southwesterly pattern returns soon so we can get back to 65 or 70.

  • Mid America Mom

    AH US midwest some hot days and humidity but not for long stretches. We hibernate inside during those.

    Today, as usual, we had winds that were like 10/15 mph and from the northwest. Around 4:30 I wanted gloves and a sweatshirt under my wool coat and I pass teenagers getting off the subway in a teeshirt and shorts. Even in the summer I find it cold outside with the winds. Meanwhile I roast in my south facing apartment with hardly any breeze coming in and a poor wall air unit (as it is now my bedroom is 79 with the heat not on).

    Oh well.

    I am planning on posting a plan for the slow home project from another development in Boulder today. Mixed use building (street level retail).