Design Process
Design of a House for Two People
Whether because the children have left or because we simply do not want to have or have not had children, the truth is that there are a large number of clients who come to our studio requesting the design of a house for two people.
At the studio we have worked on various projects with these characteristics and, although they may seem simpler at first due to their reduced program, the design of a house for two people is just as complex as a house for a larger family, as it requires the same services and the same indoor environmental comfort conditions.
In the design of a house for two people, we must equally prioritize sunlight and natural light entry, cross ventilation, as well as guarantee a minimum of basic installations and services that any residential project contains.
While there are multiple variants that can affect the design of a house for two people and each case is very particular, we do find some baseline parameters in the design of a house for two people that should be considered and which we present in today’s article.
Required Surface Area in the Design of a House for Two People
When thinking about the design of a house for two people, the first idea that usually comes to mind is a small house. A house with the minimum, with tight and very basic rooms.
But the reality is that in general, couples who have not had children or whose children have already left home usually have greater purchasing power and therefore think of houses with few rooms but very spacious ones.
It is also important to consider that if the house is for a couple or married couple, a minimum of personal privacy must be guaranteed. There are clients who want two bathrooms or two living areas to have independent spaces.
It is also important not to overdo it, and even if we can afford it, it is not advisable to build extra rooms “just in case someone comes”; it is best to plan the design of a house for two people in which there are flexible or adaptable spaces in case of family changes or visits.
For example, an office can be connected to a living room and in case work is being done and quiet is required or visitors arrive, it can be made independent through a movable partition or a sliding door.
The minimum program for the design of a house for two people must include a living room, dining room, kitchen, master bedroom, and a full bathroom as basic rooms. From here, the program can begin to grow depending on what is needed.
Logically, the surface area of a dwelling will depend above all on the client’s requirements, as well as the site conditions and budget.
Less Is More
That’s right, although it may sound illogical, the fewer square meters, the lower the construction and maintenance costs.
Smaller houses also require less energy to heat and cool them, both in winter and summer, which will in turn result in lower expenses.
Design of a House for Two People
Although the organization of rooms is perceived in the same way in any type of dwelling, there are some characteristics specific to the design of a house for two people.
Orientation
The orientation of the house and the plot are among the first characteristics that must be assessed since in the design of a house for two people, the total surface area may be smaller and with it the width of the south-facing façade.
Less surface area will mean less south-facing façade and logically, we want the main rooms to be located on the south side. While the orientation possibilities will depend on the site, it is important to consider when choosing the site that it be wide on its south orientation to be able to locate the maximum number of spaces in that orientation.
The south orientation is a source of heat and light, so we want to make the most of it to reduce consumption even if it is the design of a house for two people.
Use of the House
The use of the house or the program is the next factor to assess from the outset. When someone decides to build a house from scratch, its organization and space must revolve around a specific way of living, that of the clients.
Although common spaces will be located on the south side whenever possible, it is advisable to define from the beginning what use the house will have.
Depending on whether our dwelling is used only for living, if it is used for living and working, or if we spend many hours at home, the layout must reflect our usage priorities. It is not the same for a person who loves to cook and spends hours in the kitchen as for a person who cooks quickly, since the kitchen must take on one role or another depending on its importance to the client.
The same applies in the case of offices for working from home or other rooms that we must prioritize according to our needs in the design of a house for two people.
Furthermore, in terms of thermal and climate comfort, it will be necessary to know if the house will be used on weekends or for brief periods, since they will need to be designed differently given their non-habitual use.
Extra Spaces
Starting from the basic living spaces mentioned earlier—living room, dining room, kitchen, master bedroom, and bathroom—each client and each person has their own requirements. For this reason, it is usually common to add some extra space, whether interior or exterior.
A guest room or a work area is common and sometimes it is advisable to separate them and give them privacy from the rest of the house.
Porches or pergolas as well as terraces are likewise spaces to add to a dwelling and they work very well in the Mediterranean climate; well oriented, they can provide a house with outdoor spaces to enjoy for much of the year.
Organization of Rooms
While the design of a house for two people requires spaces to maintain each person’s need for privacy or intimacy, it is true that if we are building a house with our partner or very close family member to live together, we can consider defining open or diaphanous spaces that allow greater spaciousness to the dwelling.
The kitchen open to the dining room—or American kitchen—is already common in many dwellings and could also be applied in the design of a house for two people. It is quite suitable, since different activities will rarely occur simultaneously.
Similarly, rooms can be arranged without the need for partitions, only with furniture that allows visibility but separates the space into different uses.
In addition to furniture, there is also the possibility of separating spaces with movable elements. Options range from movable panels hung from the ceiling with floor tracks to traditional sliding doors.
The idea is to provide privacy to spaces at certain specific moments, but maintain communication and sight lines through the different rooms.
Let’s Look at Some Examples of Design of a House for Two People
Example of Design of a House for Two People
The house we propose as an example is a terraced house located in the Gracia neighborhood in Barcelona, characterized by its elongated and narrow plots with courtyards at the rear.
Gracia is a neighborhood with narrow pedestrian streets originating from the grid of a small village that was absorbed by the city.
Use of the House
As we have mentioned, understanding the use of the house is essential to plan an appropriate layout. In the case of the Gracia house, the clients required a house with an office on the ground floor.
Thus, the house consists of an office with a loft on the ground floor in contact with the street and two residential floors above.
It is a house that was originally designed for two people, but since it was a young couple, the option had to be considered that at some point the family might expand.
Thus, a flexible-use room was planned that initially contained a study-living room, which became a child’s room after a few years.
Orientation, Light, and Ventilation
One of the challenges we faced in this project was to capture light without sacrificing the privacy of the rooms. In this way, a ground floor very open to the street is planned both in the study area and in the dwelling area in its common rooms, and a bedroom area closed to the exterior on the façade that receives light only through skylights on the roof that also allow ventilation.
Given the poor orientation of the plot, we could hardly capture energy through solar radiation. Because of this, the energy strategy was to increase the thickness of the insulation to avoid losing the heat generated inside. In addition, underfloor heating is used, which is an excellent system for efficient heat accumulation.
Organization of Rooms
The house is divided into two strips, a narrower and more opaque one containing the stairs, bathrooms, and kitchen, and a wider one with the bedrooms and common spaces.
Furthermore, privacy increases as the floor height increases.
Thus, the ground floor is dedicated exclusively to the office and has total transparency and accessibility from the street, as well as a connection to a rear courtyard.
On the first floor are the living-dining areas and kitchen open to both façades but without the possibility of access to the exterior.
On the second floor are the bedrooms without openings on the façade but with large roof skylights.
And finally, we reach the roof, a small urban garden that allows enjoyment of an outdoor space for most of the year thanks to the excellent climate the city enjoys.
As we can see, the design of a house for two people has certain complexity and multiple design factors to consider.
As always, for the Slow Studio team, the most important thing is to understand the specific needs of each client; conversing for long hours in the early project definition phases is very important to understand the lifestyle of each couple or family and tailor the design to their needs.
If you are considering the design of a house for two people, do not hesitate to contact us to assess design possibilities; at Slow Studio we are based in Barcelona and have offices in multiple locations around Spain. You can consult the team page for more information.