You Too Can Design!
To develop any sort of an infill design you first need to gather information
1) The location of your site, 2) the requirements you want, and 3) its look.
- Site: your new infill should complement the site it is on and the area that surrounds it.
- Requirements: have a list of your needs and wants and be willing to separate each (particularly for your budget).
- Look: your requirements will bring the design ‘look’ forward, both interior & exterior (which is best suited for the site). Expand your thinking – sketch your ideas and collect photos.
Developing the design concept from the site
The benefits and constraints of the site will help you develop design ideas. Include items like its views, natural features such as trees and rocky landscapes, the ground elevations for the orientation of the house, the sun path, weather (for example, turning the house away from strong prevailing winds), and the natural flow of amenity areas and visitors.
Developing the design concept from your requirements
Your home is very specific to the people who use it daily, and their use is key to how you develop your design and architectural concepts. Your needs & wants come into ‘play’ here.
- Is your priority to nail the function over the form? Or is the form over the function more important?
- How much space do you require for each area? & how do you want them to interact and flow with one another? – kitchen & dining areas, entertaining & living areas, bedrooms & bathrooms, visitor & family entrances, etc.
Developing the building type
Think about how the site and your requirements naturally lend themselves to a particular architectural structure – is it a grid form, cantilever, modern, farmhouse style, or more natural organic shapes? Your concepts will also likely favour certain building material types – concrete, masonry, metal, wood, composite, or glass.
Take your time and involve outside expertise to help weave all these elements into your design. It may be helpful to use a colour 3D format presentation to visualize your design.
Know what is driving your decisions – do you want your design to be practical, useful, and comfortable, or do you want it to break the mould and be different? Try out many ideas before settling on one, even if you go back to the first!