The Architectural Split Level Design
The split level was conceived for the sloping or hilly lot. It takes advantage of what might otherwise prove to be a troublesome difference in elevation and uses it to advantage. As a general rule, a split level should not be built on a flat lot. Mounding up soil in front of the high section to give the appearance of a hill usually yields poor results.
The split level makes efficient use of space. The general arrangement of the split level separates sleeping, living, and recreation on different levels. Little or no hall space is required in a split level house due to its basic design, a positive factor fro consideration.
At the lowest level, there is a normal basement which houses the heating and cooling equipment, storage, and perhaps a shop or washroom. This area is the usual depth of a basement. In some instances the basement may not be desired and a crawl space provided for maintenance and ventilation. The basement ordinarily equals about 40 to 60 percent of the space occupied by the house. This is usually enough for efficient use without wasted space.
The next level up from the basement, the intermediate level, generally houses the garage and recreation area. This area is ground level and thus lends itself to these functions. Patios and terraces may be attached to the recreation area which further enhances its use. The intermediate level may also have a large foyer, mud room, or family room.
At the highest elevation in the house is the sleeping area and bath. The half level difference between the living and sleeping levels affords greater privacy and quietness. Split level houses do have some negative aspects. They are generally more expensive to build than the two story. In most cases, however, they are cheaper than a ranch. Heating may be a problem if not handled properly. The use of zoned heating(separate thermostats for the various areas of the house) will usually solve the heating problem.
Architectural Variations of the Split Level Design
There are basically three variations of the split level design: the side by side, the front to back, and the back to front. Lots sloping from the left or right are suited for the side by side design. This design places the living area opposite the sleeping and intermediate areas. Variation number two, the front to back split level, is suited for lots which are high in front and low in the back. This house looks like a ranch from the front and a two story from the back. The living area faces the street and the bedrooms are on the second level to the rear.
The third variation, the back to front split level, requires a lot that is low in front and high in back. The intermediate level faces the street at grade. The bedrooms are above, also facing the street. The living level is a the rear. This model looks like a two story in front and a ranch in the rear.
Traffic Circulation
A primary consideration in designing a functional plan is traffic circulation. Traffic circulation involves those areas of the house which provide a means of moving from one area or room to another. Circulation must be planned for maximum efficiency. In a will planned arrangement the distance from the garage to the kitchen in short and direct. The foyer is centrally located and convenient to all parts of the house. All bedrooms are close to a bath. Few rooms have traffic planned through them. The family room and eating nook are exceptions. An analysis should be made of traffic circulation to determine if the plan is as functional as it could be. Frequently, a slight change in the floor plan can increase smooth flow of traffic to desirable locations.
Questions and Answers
Article Tags:
foyer
,mud room
,washroom
,patios
,terraces
,zoned heating
,architecturactural
,split level design
,designing
,traffic circulation
,maximum efficiency
Find out the best advice on the way to apply Balanced Scorecard system in various companies. Find out more on Balanced Scorecard advantages in this article.
The current economic climate of China is growing at a rapid pace. China is even predicted too become the top manufacturer in the near future! China currently provides imported products to a majority of nations in the world today. One of these countries is Australia. In Australia, the wholesale business industry is a big success and many businessmen are looking for ways to make sure they improve their trading relationship with China.
The most important thing to consider whenever creating business in south America is always to defeat the language barrier and a superb technique to do this if you are willing to know would be to master Spanish language as well as Portuguese.
The Latin America market is among the swiftest widening in the world that's the reason why it is an excellent spot to build organizations or purchase shares from countries in this region. The location has great macroeconomic principles and along with sound political weather, it is quite the spot for traders to put their money in.
TV distributors are extremely getting more intense with the promotional plans and methods they utilize to get clients. You need to give credit to many of these sellers as most of these techniques call for big amounts of money and creativity to draw in attention to their items and frequently, even poach prospective clients from their rivals.
In some situations Inventions were developed by adding two or more products together to create something entirely new. This is also true for Technology to. When new technology is created sometimes it works with another technology to perform a more complex design that gives the user more flexibility and options. You can see this most visibly in computer software where one program incorporates programs software to design a new and more efficient program.
Being creative and unique is the most important aspect of the Architectural experience to me. It's definitely not something that every one of us can conquer as a profession. Through the Imagination of Architects works of art are born and inspiration of design is spread throughout the world. Personally I believe Architecture is one of the first examples of what Art can be, and every second someone with the ability to use their imagination to create a structure is born
The old ways of drafting and design are over with, and the new process of using computer software has arrived. These software packages allow complex 3D Designs with multiple custom features to be created more efficiently and more precise than traditional design or drafting methods. Certain objects can be copied and manipulated in various ways that allow the Designer to customize every 3D Model precisely.
The CAD drafter is one who uses computer aided drafting or computer aided design software. These CAD technicians create CAD drawings, CAD design, 3D cad models, cad cam, 3d cad, isometric drawing, cad graphics, engineering drawing, working drawings, dwg drawings, and concept design to create 3D CAD models.
CAD Drafters are the individuals who use CAD Software to develop Blueprints, 2D Drawings, and 3D Models. There are several different programs available that focus primarily on one type of design. For example, there are CAD software programs that are designed specifically for Architecture, and other programs for Mechanical Drafters
Discuss this Article
