I just love constructive criticism.

It was constructive. Burn it down and start over but this time, try to put an effort in making a semi-livable space instead of a neat arrangement of boxes like an Ikea sales floor.

Those aren't beds, they're giant peices of intermittent blocking.

I’m a big fan of using patio furniture for door stops.

What is lineweight? What do you mean?

What is it you don't like with the beds...?

Non Sequitur if you are fat you might have to open both doors all the way or use the other doors. Or you can sit on a sofa for two there, by yourself (if you are that fat I mean).

thickness of lines on the drawings. Read: https://www.lifeofanarchitect.com/architectural-graphics-101-line-weight/

CAD drawings can have various set line weights. (Line thickness if you want to think about it that way) In the old days of ruling pens, lines were not exact measured widths because the ruling pens operate on a little knob that widens or tightens the little tines. There were 2-3 types of ruling pens used. One of them being the Swedish detail ruling pen and were used for detail drawings which often used thicker lines and that would require more ink. 

Then came along the "technical pens" with exact thickness of tips. They were basically precision cylindrical tip fountain pens largely beginning in the 1950s/60s. 

By the 1980s and 1990s when computers came out and CAD programs emerged, line weight was drawn directly from the technical pen era and in fact old plotters in those days were pen plotters and actually used technical pens. Eventually, these plotters became essentially glorified wide form factor inkjet printers and replaced pens with ink cartridges so they are really a printer but the tradition of lines with specified thicknesses are used. 

There are basic semi-standardized drafting practices for what line weight to use and when to use certain line weights in the drawing. Often, you'll be using between 3-6 line weights on architectural drawing or sheet of drawings. There isn't an absolute single right way to do this but there are common standards which you should be familiar if you want to increase your skills and eventually become an 'architect' in Sweden but there is a lot of other things you need to learn as well.

rcz1001 and curtkram: But should not the walls between outside and inside be thicker than the walls between rooms?

The wall thickness may be thicker especially if the exterior wall is physically thicker than the interior walls which they usually are. However, line weight has nothing to do with thickness of wall in an actual technical drawing. When you do a napkin sketch with a sharpie where you use one line to represent walls then yeah, a thicker line but in technical drawings like construction documents, an exterior wall or any wall is represented in much more detail involving multiple lines from the lines representing the siding or brick face (if brick facing is used), plywood sheets thickness, etc. There is a lot more detail in that and you can see that in actual construction documents which may even indicate insulation in the walls. Those drawings where you see single solid lines representing walls and they vary in thickness for an exterior wall and an interior wall is because they are a concept sketch drawing usually done in early design phases before you get into the more detail drawings that would be used to get permits and for use by builders to build the building. These early sketches represent a different purpose for communication with a client especially if you are going to go through multiple iterations and showing multiple proposals of concepts to a project requirements that the design professional receives from the client like number of bedrooms, sizes of rooms, and relationship of rooms (function areas), orientation, etc. In architecture speak, we call that "architectural program". Then we come up with multiple ideas or concepts and sketch them into concept drawings.

I know houses where the exterior walls and interior walls uses the same size studs but exterior walls still tended to be a little thicker due to sheathing and interior (drywall, plaster, etc.) and exterior finish (siding, stucco, brick, etc.). In parts of Sweden, the exterior wall may need to be even more thicker for thickness of insulation in the walls that are part of managing heat loss in a cold climate akin to Alaska (US), Yukon/British Columbia (Canada), where there are mountains and lots of snow and ice, long winters, and so forth.

From the GC side. We couldn't care less about the line weights. Coordinate the l

The plans with your consultants and make sure the schedules are copied and pasted. No one cares about lineweights!

How about buy this book for inspiration: http://miltonstricker.com (available on Amazon) and blend it with Swedish architectural tradition and consideration for climate of the area. Adapt the plan for how Swedish people live that may differ than the American domestic tradition. If possible, learn from the book about a way of design thinking. There are more sources you can draw from but it is something I would consider for drawing from nature and context to arrive at a design.

Is this forum just for professional architects? In that case I will leave.

Not necessarily but this forum is customarily and intended to be used primarily by those who are professional "architects" (often seeking licensure to do projects where licensure is required). There are people on this forum at various levels. In Sweden, licensure isn't required to practice architecture but you shouldn't design homes or any building for clients without gaining the knowledge and skills to competently do so. If you are interested in gaining the knowledge and skills to competently design houses in Sweden, I don't think anyone has an issue with that. Respect those with professional experience and in cases on this forum, licensure. It can be challenging at time for some individuals and some of the 'in-fighting' of sorts that happens but I think you would want to avoid some of that non-sense banter that happens here.

This is an internet forum with users from around the world and many countries have licensing requirements to become an architect, practice architecture, and use the architect title in practice. There are exceptions for unlicensed persons to design some types of buildings (exempt buildings - often houses are among the 'exempt'). In Sweden, they may still be called architects but in the U.S., alternative titles are often used by unlicensed persons who designs these 'exempt buildings'. (Exempt buildings for sake of conversation means buildings that does not require a licensed architect to design and stamp). In Sweden, there is no licensing. There is a professional association that issues a credential and some local jurisdictions may want plans prepared by those individuals. 

Why triple-glazed window for the the view? I don't understand, sorry.

control heat-loss

Aha, so it has nothing to do with view, just that there is a lot of windows when there is a nice view. :-)

Whether you use double-pane or triple-pane windows depends on climate and rate of heat loss. There's a bit of math involved. Sweden is a good sized country and the climate condition varies from southern Sweden to northern Sweden. With a lot of windows, you may need triple-pane to mitigate the amount of heat loss.

I recommend you read and learn from this book: (While it is U.S. based, you can apply principles of passive solar design in Sweden)

https://gofile.io/d/VGPp28

You may need to adjust for your latitude for a project location and I would recommend a combination of geothermal and passive solar energy in the design if it was me. While the book is date a little, you can still apply the principles and make adjustments with newer information but the science and principles haven't changed and there are additional resources out there on the subject matter.

Thank you for the info. This is just my silly little hobby, I fantasize that I'm rich and can build as expensive as I want. :-) I would never draw for anyone in reality.

Do you mean that the garage would be in the basement? That's not possible you know.

First, I would have laid out the floor plan differently as it is awkward from any sort of domestic layout even in Sweden. If it was me, I would have the hobby room on a third-level (attic/loft) with dormers if you are using a gable or hip roof type. I would then not have a basement level hobby-room, bathroom & storage and leave the basement under the main part of the dwelling as it and have fill and slab on grade for the garage floor and wall foundation to frost depth for it's footing as needed. We can use more modest beams every 2.5 meters (or 8-ft.) o.c. (top/down) spanning across the garage (left to right) at sufficient height where the bottom of beam is 12-ft. above the highest point on the garage floor. Then you can have stout floor joists between or on-top of the glulam beams. The sidewalls of the garage would be bearing walls so they would need to be strong and stout. The trick is to figure out a path for stairway going to attic/loft level. Others may already have an idea how I might implement such a stairway based on your layout with modifications but I'll let you try to think out how so we're not outright telling you how to do it.

Do you really think the bedrooms have no windows?!?

daylight is overrated. Dark damp cave feeling is all the rage these days.

I asked for opinions here because I'm in the middle of drawing it, so have not come to drawing it in 3D yet... it's all just about the floor plan so far, but it's not hard to imagen what a 2D drawing will look like in 3D, just not the details.

"not hard to imagen what a 2D drawing will look like in 3D" Ya, and it will turn out to be just like every other boring boxes that does not get a second glance. If it is your dream house, dream bigger. Man, that is what annoys me, people always thought architecture design is about layout the room and draw the floor plan and then extrude it into boxes. Honestly, the layout is fine other than that first floor/basement thing. Is the 2nd floor actually on the grade so the living room is there? But there is outdoor space and windows on first floor/basement, so is it a sloped site? If it is sloped site, site plan and section is a must. Hey it would be cool if it is a level site, and you dig a giant hole on the ground for the pool and garden and build retaining walls around. And i honestly do no see anything luxury other than tightly cramped rooms.

One of the first things to do is have a topographical survey. This helps with site planning which in turn helps with the section and elevation (draft elevation... initially without big concern about final details). The design iteration between plan view, elevation view, section views, site, etc. all interplays. All is important because we are working with a 3d object on a site, not just a 2d object with a vague site location. If I don't have an accurate topography, I would conform the site with excavation/fill for the garage and then the rest can be adjusted on post/pier foundation and wall. 

In a real project, a land/topographical surveyor is almost a must for getting a usable topographical survey and marking property boundary. If a good topographical surveys have been done before, then we might not need a new topographical survey. A good one would be in 0.5 meter contour increments but a 0.2m increment could work as well. Not necessarily as critical for "academic" (just for fun) work.

The OP is just a dreamer laymen having fun in sketchup... but, as you put it, this concept would benefit greatly from something 3D. A section of that deep balcony should reveal very quickly why placing all those skinny bedrooms below is a bad idea.

Thank you.

I think for some, the biggest problem some people have is some people come here seeking a bunch of architectural services to effectively design their home without having to pay them anything. 

As long as this is basically academic and you aren't actually building this as is and is willing to hire a professional to design from initial consultation and work with you through the design process for the final design, most won't have a problem. 

At some point, we would be investing time and accruing professional liability exposure which we would as professionals want to be paid because we have to safeguard ourselves with liability insurance and that comes at a cost. Working for free doesn't pay the bills and insurance is a bill.

I'm just mentioning about some of the regulars here. There has been quite a few individuals on this forum that sought a bunch of freebie service which effectively is getting all the services of a professional without paying for it. There maybe individuals on this forum that may be willing to provide professional services but it would come with a price. We are talking about a sizable commitment of time, money, and professional liability exposure, etc. For example, I could provide design services for houses in Sweden but I wouldn't be doing it for free. Biggest challenge right now would be site visiting and that's an international flight and travel which is kind of an iffy these days with COVD-19.

guy already said it is his hobby. He is imagining his dream house if he is so rich. I actually would recommend every architect to do this exercise. Imagine your dream house when money is not that tight, you will discover what you really care about in your work and design philosophy. But of course, real architects knows more than OP. And would actually consider wall assembly types, glazing options, roof assembly types and details, FF&E, lighting, Mechanical system. Room layout and square footage? whatever you want, as long as you got the moolah. Made me think of the luxury miami house with 50 ft span living room constructed using truss system. 

Don't disagree. My point is as long as this is basically 'academic' as in not actually being built for real and if there was a time that the OP is ready to build a dream house that he is willing to hire an architect, I don't think it is an issue. 

To think of it, Jay, it isn't really a bad exercise. Since we're here, I'll dabble with the exercise with Sweden as a project location. I can play this exercise with almost anywhere.

Don’t rich people like truffles? Dream house —>
https://www.ensamble.info/thetruffle

I think we'll have to wait because the person is nowhere near that at this time.

nah, you will never see it. he will soon get tired of this hobby and call it a day. If you ask me, I need to see some finished realistic rendering of the space. It is all line drawing paper talk until you put it in real rendered perspective. VR rendering is even better, i did some realistic VR rendering of my dream house, it is absolutely awesome when paired with realistic rendering. And fire it up in Enscape for a quick virtual tour is a good idea during design, you can discover awkward stuff in first person perspective during walk through.

tintt: Not yet.

You don't need photorealistic, just some sketches of what the space feels like in 3D. Proportions, views, flow. There's a saying, the map is not the territory.

I'm not so good at drawing. So I make 3D drawings in the computer instead.

Not all Swedes do the sauna thing but it was something I was noticed was not in the drawings in the original post.

Like I stated earlier, Waffen SS barracks, you've nailed it, now move on to Der Führer's bunker.

Straight lines would help.

It's of course just a very simple sketch at first, I will draw it in 3D in SketchUp later.

try drawing a perspective view from the exterior. That's ten times more important than moving tiny rooms around.

Of course, but I am working on the floor plan first this time. It's not that complicated idea of a house, so I don't have to think THAT much about the exterior at first. At least that's what I think.

You are grossly incorrect. work both perspective and plan AT the same time. Orientation is also a giant factor and your plans are just slight variations of the same tired grid arrangement. Give it some life for fucks' sake. It's just so dreadful.

I can see it in 3D in my head while I'm working on the floor plan when it comes to this house. And I like the simple style.

I doubt you can. If you could actually visualize it, you would réalise why this is dreadful. Very obvious. Also, simple style is difficult. What you "like" here is not simple, it's minimal effort style.

You fixed nothing.

Yeah, but did Adolf really fuck Eva, or was it the other way around? Food for thought.

Ok, you put the garage back over the top of the hobby room. 

What scale of sort are you working from for each grid on the graph paper? 

Would be helpful at some point to consider since there is no stated scale or graphic scale to base on. When I do these kinds of drawings, I kind of base something like 1 grid equal 1-ft. x 1'ft. or 3-ft. x 3-ft. or 4-ft. x 4ft. You might use the meter unit. 1 square equal 1-meter x 1 meter or something. 

This way, I have some sense of spatial volume that I am needing to meet. In designing buildings for clients, each room or function area has some size that would need to be met per our agreement in project program and dialogue. Therefore, I would want to be sure the room is adequately sized. It is part of space planning but it's not just the plans but also the elevations and other views that are all happening concurrently in the design process because we go back and forth between the different views (plan view, elevation views, section views, etc.).

Others have said similarly.

I liked it better as a barracks. It was radical! Just thinking about it! I went back and looked at Inglorious Bastards, Force Ten From Navarone, Saving Private Ryan and The Brady Bunch! I was getting thirsty! Drat.

Rotate the 2nd floor 90d counter-clockwise and put an empty and inaccessible storey between it and the ground floor. Perfect

SECOND PLOOR

rcz1001: "What scale of sort are you working from for each grid on the graph paper?"
I would guess about 10 square foot. (Or do you say square feet?)

But it's not hard to see what fits and about how big it is looking at the proportion and how rooms usually look. It's just a simple sketch so far.

Mr. Ching's books are often required or highly suggested reading material in architecture school courses. Especially in early part of architecture school curriculum. His building codes illustrated and building construction illustrated are reading material found in courses relating to building codes and building construction usually in the more intermediate level instruction around mid-point of the degree.

Thank you.

On the upside, chlorinated mushroom burgers!

Even if the balcony is in concrete?

Concrete cures cancer, did you know?

What is your point?

Eat more concrete.

If the OP (user by name of Hobby Architect) could get a general angle of the ground terrain as it is currently so we get and approximately indicate it in an exterior elevation view. I suspect the ground slopes downhill from bottom of page (sometimes called "Plan South") to top of page (sometimes called "Plan North") direction. I don't know which is north or south. If the OP indicates on plans which direction is north, south, east, and west, it will communicate a bit. 

Hobby "Architect", do not assume we know which is north, east, west, or south. While we could assume from common practice, because you are not a professional architect but a hobbyist non-architect designing your own dream home, we are best not to assume. Just indicate it somewhere. A simple cross with an arrow point with north indicated and we can extrapolate the orientation of the plans and it would make talking about this easier. I've seen plans where the site plan (for example) had the arrow to north facing the bottom of the page. Yes, it happens. We can't assume non-"professionals" adhere to standard or common conventions of the architectural profession.

Thank you.

rcz1001, You can mirror flip or turn the plan upside down however you want it to fit the plot/property.

Shhhhhhh, you're giving away our deepest secrets.

That's not a big problem, most houses I have visited have it that way. It would take too much space to swing them into the bathroom.

It’s terrible. Rich people have big bathrooms and always swing the door in. Even poor

You still haven't addressed the site issue. Is that ground level below grade.If so the garden should be surrounded by retaining walls, use thick bold line. And its polycarbonate or curtainwall assembly for second and third? AKA greenhouse. What kind of framing system are you going to use to support the two story glazing and the assumed glazed roof. You need to show the structure. I actually love that idea but that thing will probably cost 1/4 of the house if you do steel framing and high quality curtain wall.If you do main structure frame with sub frames, its cheaper but you get a lot of sub framing dividing the glazing. And remember, snows. On the third floor, A balcony with the width of a single door swing. Seriously? Why even bother to construct that. The garage that sticks out, it should have its on slab on grade foundation, i would construct that portion as non insulated or low insulated. Run your main insulation along the core central box with continuity from below and above. Honestly i would get rid of the stick out garage, make it detached with a corridor connect back to main building or something. So the remaining is a clear half solid and half glazed box, much cleaner in design concept.That is why you need 3D models, you have to get a feeling from outside view.

it's almost like you've never seen a house design. mass-produced developer suburban houses have more character than this.

It is one of these stacked program extruded boring box architecture school tries have students to avoid. That garage stick to the side simply due to program requirement. It is just so boring with different program layouts. You may not believe it, architecture school does teach something. Creativity is important. Only that fully glazed garden is unusual. But that thing will cost an arm and leg while doing not much. I would cap that glazing at the balcony. Let the 2nd and 3rd be outdoor space to save cost. It also does not do much extending above the ground level. I doubt he will have proper knowledge about construction and cost. Or how to make the design match the money spent.

I should have written GROUND FLOOR/BASEMENT. https://i.pinimg.com/originals/97/12/6f/97126f1f98ed88fba2c1934913ae3023.jpg

No, you don't need to write anything. Just design something competent.

Try a trébuche instead.

is this the newer version? This looks like a proper luxury house. WTH happened in between? You took some drugs? It is wasteful but its all imaginary money anyway.

It's another fantasy project from the wanker's personal blog site.

This i dig more than that boring box. It has the wasteful characteristic of those luxurious modern Beverly hills houses. But honestly enough with the floor plans,you have finished 5% of the luxury house design.Time to move on. Now i want to see the real luxurious stuff. The high end doors, exterior/interior wall finishes(Clads?Panels?), roof assembly(Green roof? Paved Roof?), storefront systems(operable Nana wall?), custom mill works, Custom counters, chandeliers, light fixtures, appliances, etc. Hit me with some of the realistic detailed renderings depicting your vision. You can't keep circling around with various plan layouts.

Love to check on my storage while I eat dinner.

I would love to build a house with all these wasteful corners and offsets. All those roof bases and edges require proper flashing.The roof itself requires extra material and coverage. All the wall turns require extra construction attention. Probably can get a nice Ferrari or 2 with those extra money spent .I am just too cheap.

Too many doors

What does trébuche mean, Non Sequitur?

It's a completely different house, Jay1122.

I should change to two doors to the study instead of four, Almosthip7.

As if the storage is the only view from the dining, tduds.

Non Sequitur, do you even know what a blog is.

Jay1122, I am working on it, but it takes time to do all those details.

A little from the hobby room that I'm working on for example: https://www.bildtagg.se/file/0axe2fkpdtha8byn3sxje3dn

But as it was on the house site "The exterior will be similar to this house." http://m-arkitektur.se/villa-m

Remember, good HOBBY ARCHITECTS borrow, great HOBBY ARCHITECTS steal.

Nothing wrong with stealing, it's compliment to the one who made it in the first place. But it will not be as beautiful as the original since it's much smaller. And it will still be different of course.

Jay1122, well we all have different priorities. I love houses much more than cars.

Stay here for a second, I'm gonna go pay a compliment to the bank on the corner.

You really need to enjoy looking at roof planes to enjoy the second floor of this multi-million dollar house. Hit up this guy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylorcole84/ maybe they'll sponsor you?

On one hand, the floor plans themselves aren't great. On the other hand, even if they were the inattention to elevation & section (AKA the dimensions in which humans actually experience a building) result in a shitty building.

With a passage to it of course.

so this is the Balkans responding to the Balkins?

(Don't really know what you are talking about), but do you have a problem with that?

no, you're a racist swede.

Eh, what?! :-D

i apologize if you're real person who reads stuff, posts stuff, and what not. but don't you think you look like a troll? Your plans are bad, even by Swedish standards. You should be more Eric Owen Moss about this, carve a pumpkin, can swedes do that?

I'm a little surprised people are as rude here as in most social media places, I thought people who are interested in architecture were more sophisticated. But haters gona hate I guess.

You're very confused.

it's called studio and you're showing simple sketches to professionals who do 100's of floor plans a year, so it truly is kind of boring especially when the layouts are for the most part not thought through or remotely exciting. like if you're not going to be a serious archtiect why draw simple boxes with poorly placed doors and furniture. Eric Owen Moss is a real architect and look at what he does.

As I said earlier in the thread I didn't know this discussion forum only was for professionals and I will leave if so is, but then someone said it's for anyone.

not the correct response Hobby Architect. are you actually reading what is being written here. yes, it's for everyone, but keep in mind who you are presenting to and expect the comments accordingly.

for instance: "If you are in your bedroom and want to go into your walk-in-closet you would probably want to close the door to the bedroom first anyway while dressing."

Why? It's off your bedroom, why would you want privacy from your private space? Where does your assumption come from? Is it cultural? Are you married, but prefer sex with no lights on? What if the closet is on the way to the bathroom? the door is usually there to hide the possible mess, or have you assumed all people are clean? problem is, you don't have a client, so its hard to critique something without any real limitations and even hard for anyone to care about your defense. invent a client.

DTL.DWG, I promise I will never start a thread here again. That's obviously suicide as I have now found out. I'm so naive. There's so much jantelagen on the internets.

DTL.DWG, Read more carefully. You need privacy from >the rest of the house< outside your bedroom, not from your own bedroom of course. Do you undress or have sex in the living room while your kids are there? 

LOL.... the Law of the Jante. 

You're like an freshman architecture student in their first studio and surprised by the harsh critique. It's to prepare the architecture student for rejection of their ideas and not get so personally attached to their work that they ball up crying when the harsh and crude NIMBY crown and communities rejects even with use of vitriol. It has a purpose. So far the critique here has been actually rather toned down from how it can be. Imagine working 5 weeks on your architectural model (I mean the physical model not the SketchUp model) and the countless hours just to have a critic literally throw it on the concrete floor smashing it to pieces and calling it shit, garbage or whatever. 

Yes, that's an extreme case but not unheard of and there is some degree of truth to that in some architecture schools. It's rough because you put SOOOOO much time into it that you are personally attached to it and if anyone messes with it, one iota, you get twitchy. Some even begin thinking it is the best because they got so invested in that one idea or path that they won't back up and consider other options. You maybe shortchanging the exploratory process that is done before floor plans are made. 

In architecture school, there is a process of sketching ideas in quick sketches, and diagramming called 'parti' or 'parti pris'. 

An example: https://hglennon.wordpress.com/2013/02/18/sectional-parti/ 

We do parti drawings for plans, elevations, sectionals, and every other view as well as numerous sketches like windows and doors to explore.

https://www.aaai.org/Papers/Symposia/Spring/2005/SS-05-06/SS05-06-025.pdf

The above link is a little more academic in tone but there are various sources for reading and learning about parti, diagrams, and sketching. These are essential to the design process even though they are not part of the deliverable to the clients. 

If someone more eloquent with words can explain the purpose of a parti pris, diagrams, and sketches (the quick sketches we are talking about not renderings), etc. in the design process, please do.

You think I'm a troll AND boring. Does that go together. Well, I find you boring too. Did you not like this one either? I think it's ingenious. 
https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/14/14df94be3afa8d09b6d1d7212f7384eb.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&w=514

This is a very basic plan and unless the stairs are something really interesting, it's the first thing you see and is right in your face. You do this nice rear double height balcony space but when I walk into this plan I don't see the nice part, it's hidden.

storage off the garage is a filler not thought out space. your pantry is across from the main entrance from the kitchen. that's bad planning? do you buy your own groceries? do you bring them home? again, no client, so much of your placement is arbitrary and makes even less sense when you think about actual usage. try again.

I don't understand what you mean with the balcony, what is hidden...?

The pantry is just for when you need to get things you don't use as often.

Maybe I should have a U-stairs instead and move it in line with the outside wall.

What do the stairs look like? Did you design them?

In 3D you mean? I have not does this house in 3D at all yet. Of what do you mean.

plans are drawn to represent real life, what will be. you just proved tduds point below, you're not an architect if you don't design the world you will live in. plans are just "tools" of the trade.

Not sure what you mean, but of course I will design the stairs.

ok, so you don't visualize space, correct? you don't have vision? For many architects, drawings are simply a "representation" of the reality to become. in other words, many architects see buildings like you remember your dreams and the rest is just a representation. so what I'm telling you, and you'll have to draw it, do it in 3D, learn the hard way, that your stairs, unless a highlight to the space, kill the vision that could be.

Don't know what you mean, I guess I'm too tired it's in the middle of the night here, sorry. But I can see most of the 3D ideas in my head. But not everything of course.

what do the stairs look like? if the stairs are not something worth highlighting, then move them so one can see the real action in this space, see through through to the back, etc..there is a hint of that with your note "open to below" next to stairs

There are spiral stairs. There are other stair types. Eventually you need to do sketches of the stair and other objects. Even getting a little creative with the stair rail and getting a little 'organic' to the design can give the stairs a little character. For example look here: (Best viewed in Firefox because the site hasn't been updated to replace Flash with HTML 5 code)

https://www.overbayhouseworks.com/gallery/index.html

No since I will draw in 3D too when I get time. I heard that in Sweden you don't have to have an education to call yourself architect. Just like a photographer.

looks like you have plenty of time available.

I hear in the middle of the pacific you don't need a degree to call yourself a surgeon. Time to book a cruise?

I want to be a hobby-neurosurgeon!

says so right in your name tho... but don't worry, just looking at part of your first picture makes this obvious. What you're not is a designer tho because that requires some care in how spaces are planned. Remember, you're drawing up what would be custom houses but they are turning out to be mega generic with ridiculously bad organization.

In front of architect it says hobby. Are you able to read?

I can read just fine. Can you draw?

Depends on what kind of drawings you mean.

That’s the answer I expected. Too bad.

I guess you think I'm completely useless at everything.

Not everything, mostly at organizing space and understanding criticism.

What CAN I do according to you? And what can you do...?

I can design buildings (and I’m paid to do so). What you’ve demonstrated so far is that you can make similar arrangements of minimum size spaces.

Is that some kind of compliment?

Do you need affirmation?

Jesus what is with all the negative attitudes. I support you hobby dude. I mean it is all imaginary money anyway, you can make the budget $1B even if you want. Just stop circling around with floor plans and start move down the list to make it a real residential house design.You want to achieve the best floor space arrange, but that thing does not exist. I want to see realistic renderings of fully developed house.

Plan does not reflect final architecture, see this house below,

Archdaily House

SneakyPete, no.

Jay1122, thank you.

SneakyPete has psychological issues and use to have Jordan Peterson as his shrink...

Pot kettle etc

Good! Delete t

This isn’t and airport, no need to announce your departure

I think I like the stair placement now. line with arrows?

Great, more boxes. Design is much more than reducing each space down to its minimum shape.

Idiot.

how so? I'm not the one incapable of real criticism.

Seven different room types with two labels.

we need more kök labels.

I like the next one better

that corridor would make for a great bowling alley

Ricky, I don't think any climate was considered when designing that monstrosity.

This reminds me of a Polly Pocket Goes to the Mall (or somesuch) plastic set that my kid has. If feels like it should have a hinged seam down the middle so we could open it up and move little plastic Floridians up and down the curvy staircase. If he'd included some representation of that hinge, and a giant carrying handle on the roof, then I'd give him some points for wit, but as-is I'm not seeing the creativity and skill of which this apparently supposed to be an example.

It took skill to detail the enclosure for the superfluous "structure" that holds up ... a couple of down lights.

N.S., while it isn't what I would call sustainable design practice because any house over 5,000 sq.ft. is too big for a single family of moderate size. Anything over 10,000 sq.ft. is too big for families up to 10. 500-750 sq.ft. per person plus space for bathrooms, living space and kitchen. However, it was designed for Florida building codes and its environment. 

However, since we are already talking about dream mansions in the first place, it really doesn't matter. Mansions by definition are not sustainable/green practice.... period. It simply means to much material and space for the number of occupants. In short, too low of density but we are talking about a house/mansion for a multi-millionaire football athlete of a client after all in that particular house. Just for a little background. 

To be honest, OP's dream house project is excessive in size for good sustainable design practice but that's not the subject matter here.... is it. The point is to get the OP to explore ideas beyond squares or rectangles which is 99.9% of homes floor plan typically are.

If you can do better, back it. Draw... Sketch... model.... whatever. I don't care but enough talk.... do.

Pretty sure NS has the portfolio, but posting it would provide a paper trail for SOMEONE (wonder who would tho...?) to stalk them back to their employer.

To think of it and almost forgot about it. That 'Veloci' house was designed not only by Jim Lucia but an architect named Gordon Victor Monday (before Gordon passed away).

Sneaky, I already know who N.S. is. Not stating N.S.'s name on the forum.

P.S.: If you think you can do better, don't talk...do. We've all heard a lot of 'talk' often with a lot less backing it up. It takes no skill to be a critic other than being an a--hole which can be just natural talent at b.s. and a--holism,

Pete, Ricky has my contact info so I don’t need to hide from him. Besides that, I leave my design sketches in the sketch book, I have no need to show anything.

“Victor Monday” is exactly the name I’d expect from a Bond villain / part time designer.

Your prerogative. I just here a lot of noise and talk but far too little backing up talk with the walk. 

I don't have a need to show or prove myself to anyone here and we all can argue that about proving ourselves to anyone else but at the end of the day. I do respect the work even if I may design differently. 

N.S., Gordon V. Monday was an architect registered/licensed in Florida.

I can read ricky. I just find the name is more fitting for a fabulous bond villain.

Well that was... a read.

1. i like this house. it reminds me of a good adult film set. besides that, it's cute and has some kind of optimism. 2. jim lucia appears to be an employee of a licensed architect (GSD m.arch) at a florida design build res firm. not that this argument is about licensed arch vs bldg designer yet. 3. reviews of jobs at above design build firm include this gem: "There is no balance between life and work. Your job is to get it done. Period. If that means you leave at 7 or 8 pm, so be it." 4. how do i get into this business, and what does it pay? i'll stay till 9 on tuesdays if that what it takes to get ahead!

https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Phil-Kean-Design-Group-1/reviews?fcountry=US&floc=Winter+Park%2C+FL

Indeed, midlander, some years ago Jim joined Phil firm. Phil valued and recognized Jim as a professional peer and mutual respect. It isn't that Jim *has* to work for a licensed architect. They both stand on their own as professionals in their own right.

Jim doesn't need to nor is concerned about getting a license as an architect. He enjoys designing custom homes which has been a staple of his professional practice for like 40+ years.

I have respect for Phil Kean's work and their firm.

I have no opinion on the firm's inner working, employment practices, etc. I'm not involved so I hold off any judgment on that based on not having the facts on the matter. I can say that residential design work is quite demanding. It actually can surprise some architects who never worked in residential projects like custom homes.

I don't legally need to physically open an office in Sweden but I can understand having one. Honestly, if I was going to partner with an architect in Sweden, that person needs to be a practicing architect and we would be needing to work over Zoom or similar platforms and share file and so forth.

We keep telling you, simple and straight does should not turn living space into a spreadsheet. Stop making simple boxes and start making spaces. Note that this does not mean you need to throw in curves or other abstract geometry. It means you need to look differently at interior spaces and their relation to each other.

Design, and this is the exercise we're speaking about here, because this does not rise to architecture, is nothing more than an organization of rooms, along a corridor. It's no more than a recitation of numbers on a spreadsheet. Add the fact that architects have not done themselves any service by selling the discipline of drawing as architecture, it's not, it's merely representation, everything that went into the product, drawings, is architecture, and that's not understood by most. Your grided ideas for room planning, is just a fancy spreadsheet, but not architecture.

Hobby Architect! Non Seq just gave you a bit of honest advise. and you give him the thumbs down :( You need to listen to what he is saying!

N.S. is spot on. It is about spaces. I pointed out sources to you, Hobby "A", that you could use to help you think but they are the theory but you have to practice those theories and look to various sources for inspiration. There's a book by Christopher Alexander. Space is visual poetry and defines the experience of the spaces, the viewing vistas, etc. The fact that you are designing this without a clear site indicated but comments you made infers that you have a site location in mind. Try to make interior perspective drawings or even a 3d model positioned such as you are looking out the window of the home by positioning your camera object at about 1.6 to 1.9m from the floor and explore the experience of going through the interior space of the home design. The articulation of spatial volume, light & dark (different levels of lighting from spaces brightly lit from sunlight through windows) to lesser lit (and I don't mean juxpositioning between a very sunlit room to a photographic dark room, either. It's an artistic character that is easier to visualize and experience visually with what is being states than just the words alone. If it is possible for you, take some introductory architecture school courses that you can take without being a degree major. Hopefully the curriculum covers these design theory at least in the general level. When I took an Introduction to Architecture course, they covered these topics with visual examples and we had a good university published book that had examples with text. I can't point you to an Amazon link for this book but it can help you especially with some of the other material but designing buildings without architectural art does not rise the design to 'Architecture'. It is like merely scribbling doesn't make the work 'Art'. Of course, self-claiming doesn't mean squat so you need third party assessing. Articulating quadrilaturals with non-quadilateral shapes spaces can give a design dynamics but you must carefully consider how you implement them. Thoughtless arbitrary uses any shaped spaces (rooms / areas) are boring and lame. If you got creative about it, how your exterior spaces blends/transitions into the interior spaces should be considered.

Well I'll be.. good advice from Rick!

I've tried my best to help but I'll be waiting for that down vote.

Depends. Architecture is more than just a floor plan layout.

You really are incapable of understanding our comments. Try and think for 8 seconds before continuing on with your love of simple straight stuff.

Still like your next one better , keep 'em coming!

You know what's terribly frustrating? It's those images you shared links to, and your fundamental lack of understanding in the fact that those, in and of themselves, don't constitute Architecture, they exist beyond plan, they either exist in reality, or have many more drawings, for one, and include real things; clients, sites, codes, budgets, and labor associated with those efforts at what? At realizing a built reality. They are not spreadsheets, with indecipherable nonsense.

I call those floorplans. They may represent structures that I would consider architecture, but the plans alone - no I would not call that architecture.

As I said above, you're missing a dimension. Drawing in plan does not make a space. You need to think in section and elevation, not one and then the other, but in all three simultaneously. Then, at the very least, you'll have the tools to create "Architecture" - whether you do or not is a matter of practice.

You responded to me above, saying "I will draw in 3D too when I get time." That's like saying "I will put the cake in the oven, when I have time." You haven't made a cake yet, you've put flour and sugar in a bowl.

Still spinning around with hand sketch floor plan room layout? Dude don't even say architecture is your hobby. It is a disgrace to the field. With this pace, you will probably never have a final design. Probably just floor Plan layout version #99.

Dude look at this example regarding what those people are trying to teach you:

Zig Zag House

The floor plan is simple and clear, With open central stair in the middle. The space however, has alternating floor plates matching the stair, The open central stair also serves as light well. Space is 3D, not 2D floor plan. That is just composition part. Then there is the material and construction. This house uses wood stair, raw concrete walls and floors. It is about the raw texture of those material. It would give a  totally different feeling if it is done with all white gyp board and studs even if the composition remains the same.

Good example Jay.

Jay, that yellow cabinet top in your example makes me feel all sorts of fuzzies.

That house a good example to show OP the spatial composition in design. Now this one is my jam. The material is just so rich. No gyp board allowed.

6M House

I wonder how much it will cost to build that in U.S. Probably 4-5M in a decent suburb location.

That's a tough on one cost. $4.5 million would put the structure at $733 sf which seems a bit high to me however for the overall construction cost I'd say your correct in your guess.  Dang nice design. 

I think $733/sf is a rather fair number. Steel and concrete structure. All the stone cladding, vertical louvers, interior wall panels, high end FF&E, garden & landscape, sliding storefront. All very expensive stuff for U.S. market. The funny thing is, if you build it in Bellevue, you probably can sell it for 6M and above. If you build it in Beverly Hills, probably 10M+. If you build it in middle of no where Maybe 2-3M. Can't even get your money's worth. So sad.

Hobby "A", floor plan alone is nothing. You need to synthesize the whole (3-D) Three Dimensional composition of space, volume, form, and structure as an ensemble. Mere riffs of a guitar does not make a riff a song or make it music. You got riffs but not music. You got a measure or two but not the whole song together. You're working on it but you have more work. It's not something that can be properly done over a single weekend. While it may have took Frank Lloyd Wright a small number of hours to sketch "Fallingwater" but he had been mulling through his mind the design iterations for weeks or even months without even putting a single line on paper and synthesized it entirely in his mind. However, Frank Lloyd Wright was already an experienced architect with impressive skill and talent. You are not Frank Lloyd Wright. You need to iterate the design but that ONE course in architecture school laid down for him basic fundamental principles of architectural design theory and from there, he self-taught himself as well as gained from tutelage while working for a well-regarded architect of that time. Frank Lloyd Wright had already designed a number of homes and other types of projects by the time he designed one of his most famous building (home), "Fallingwater". If you stop long enough to learn the architectural art theories and principles and listen to what us who does this for a living, it will help you further your knowledge and skills to design. I presented some references to help you. Others given their thoughts which if you stop long enough to listen without immediately rejecting them, you'll get better at this 'hobby' of designing and maybe it will rise to 'Architecture'. It's like art. The only difference between a hobbyist artist and a professional artist is money/income and overall commitment to making a living (career) in art. To be an artist, you need to make art not thoughtless scribble. There is no singular right way to make art but there is common elements. I've had art basic design which I think a similar course or sequence of courses along with introductory architecture courses would be something that would help you but you need to listen more and actually consider the ideas. Open your horizons and knock off arbitrarily limiting yourself of squares/rectangles shapes. You are limiting yourself because of graph paper you are using and letting the graph grids control your design process which you shouldn't do. It can be an aid but that is all it should be. It should not control your design thinking.

Jay1122 wrote:

"I think $733/sf is a rather fair number. Steel and concrete structure. All the stone cladding, vertical louvers, interior wall panels, high end FF&E, garden & landscape, sliding storefront. All very expensive stuff for U.S. market. The funny thing is, if you build it in Bellevue, you probably can sell it for 6M and above. If you build it in Beverly Hills, probably 10M+. If you build it in middle of no where Maybe 2-3M. Can't even get your money's worth. So sad."

Depends on where you build.  Around here a similar project was around $400 sf. 

I would think so if it is some cheaper area, I am estimating it more based on NYC suburb region or CA price. A boring standard box school I did in NYC is estimated to be $1000/sf. So that cost is fairly conservative. In a region that is $400 sf to build that kind of house, I always wonder whether you can get your moneys worth when you sell it.

I'm trying to be charitable with you, but if you only post floorplans, then I can only respond to the fact that you're only posting floorplans. If you *know* otherwise, then work that way.

You actually don't know this. This is very obvious.

I seriously doubt he knows this. He is just going to show floor plan sketch #10 next time or rage quit.

Oh, how cute. Here comes the thumbs down again.

Looking at these plans tells me exactly what to expect if ever we get to a building code plug-in for revit that auto generated spaces c/w windows, vanities, and area rugs (tassels not included).

What, no tassels?

tassels go against the simple and straight aesthetics Rando.

One problem is that for posters like this, their design may represent 100% of their creative investment in designing a home. They get very emotionally invested so when we critique their plan it's like insulting their baby.

For us, a single plan may be 0.1% or 0.01% of the projects we have designed, and most of those have not been built because they are garbage, and someone was willing to tell us so (or we figured it out ourselves). When 0.1% of your work is criticized, it's easier to take in stride than when 100% or 50% of your total "career" in designing a house is criticized.

(This is a version of the speech I give every client who comes to me with their own plans. I will study them, and occasionally they are good enough to use as a starting point. More often they are an opportunity to show all of the ways a good design is better. Create design fans in your clients.)

That's why I don't post pictures of my baby* online and ask strangers how pretty she is. 

(*I don't actually have a kid, just extending the analogy)

Breathtaking