The 5 elements every well-designed home needs
At DASH, we believe that great design starts with sustainability. A well-designed home can bring about many benefits, from a heightened sense of wellbeing to the reduction of our carbon footprint as well as being cheaper to run, a pertinent point during the current cost of living crisis and rising energy costs.
Before you can begin to enjoy these benefits, your home needs to be designed well.
A well-designed home needs to include these five elements:
Sustainable architectural design
Functionality & considered engineering
Responsibly constructed
Liveability
Beauty
Sustainable architectural design
Architectural design is an essential step in the design process. An architect will work with you to create blueprints and building models which can be customised so that you end up with your new home or space exactly how you want it (subject to securing building permissions).
At DASH, this is where we start thinking about sustainability from the very start. Architectural design is not just about which materials you use or putting solar panels on your roof (although both are very important), it is about how the space works for you and your family as a whole.
We guide you through six stages so that your dream house can become a reality. Our six stage process is:
Strategic definition
Preparation & brief
Concept design
Spatial coordination
Technical design
Construction
Always, remember that changing a 3D model of a design is much easier and way cheaper than changing a building during construction so this element is vital if you would like your project to be well-executed and on budget.
We offer a wide range of architectural services, and all of our architects are registered with the RIBA and the ARB.
Functionality (considered engineering)
Another essential step on the road to great design is functionality and considered engineering. Functionality covers many aspects of design:
Orientation - where will your new home be positioned? Depending on which rooms receive direct sunlight and at what time of day will determine which rooms become a bedroom versus a lounge room. This will influence your heating and cooling costs.
Room functionality - living areas should be multifunctional with the option of changing their purpose should for example your family grow or you have to suddenly work from home.
Building footprint - houses designed and built-in urban areas only have a small footprint which means the building needs to have a high level of function.
Considered engineering is the practical bit. Whether you are adding on a room or building a new home, we need to understand what is possible from a structural point of view. Just like sustainable architecture, we approach engineering with consideration for sustainability and functionality.
Our engineers and architects work together for a smoother, less time-consuming experience.
Responsibly constructed
You have a well-designed house on paper, now it is time to bring those designs to life. A house that has been soundly constructed will stand the test of time and save you money and hassle in the long run.
We don’t believe in just handing over a set of drawings and offer construction management services. This includes tendering and estimating, contract administration, project management and design and build.
When it comes to starting the design/build of a home here are some tips:
Do due diligence on any company or contractor you work with.
Prior to hiring any company or contractor carefully read the CDM (Construction, Design and Management) 2015 Guidance for Clients.
Hire professionals to manage the works.
Focus on value not cost. It will save you money in the long run.
Liveability
Liveability focuses on the inside and how you will use the space you have. Think about future-proofing by working with your architect to design flexible spaces like multi-functional living areas and spaces that convert into additional rooms (e.g a bedroom that could become an office).
Think about how your spaces can help you reach a higher level of well-being by considering things like light, cleaner ways of heating and powering your home, the materials used to build your home and what each space could be used for. The liveability of your home will impact how you feel when you are in it.
Beauty
Architects are known for designing ‘beautiful’ buildings, architecture is a form of art after all. We believe that sustainability is beautiful and we are on a mission to create a better planet for future generations.
We design with (beautiful) materials that reduce your energy demands and engage with responsible suppliers and have built up a network of suppliers who share our values.
Our Thorney Lane project is a great example of the elements being put into action to create a well-designed futureproof family home.
If you would like to hear more about how DASH can help you to create your own well-designed sustainable home, please get in touch with Jonathan and Mario. hello@studiodash.co.uk