Building location and siting

American actor Jack Scalia said, "...if you have a strong foundation like we have, then you can build or rebuild anything on it. But if you've got a weak foundation you can't build anything."  The same applies to design any building, but, even more importantly, one that is being actively designed along green, or sustainable, principles.  The location of your piece of land may vary depending on what materials you are going to use for construction.  For example, if you choose Adobe bricks or rammed earth, you will want to select a location that is reasonably close to the source of your materials.  Or, if you plan on wind power, it's no point locating your building in an area with little wind.

I like to start by looking at a number of factors when deciding how to orient the house, and where to locate the various rooms.  Some of these are:

• Sun - at all times of the year
• Prevailing wind and amount of it
• View
• Nearby obstructions
• Client's living needs

Sun

Here in the Northern Hemisphere, north is the coldest side of the house.  Generally, I'd put the utility rooms, like bathrooms, laundry and garage facing that side with smaller windows.  This is best case of course, and there can be compromises to make.  For example, there's a beautiful view to the north.  But, as a general rule, I try to keep living areas to the sunnier sides of the house.  Bedrooms I prefer facing east to capture morning sun and warmth. A bright, sunny bedroom is a great place to wake up in.  Kitchens and breakfast areas benefit from the same treatment.  West facing kitchens are a no-no in my opinion.  Having had one, I can attest to the tremendous heat generated in one at dinner time.

Also coming into the sun factor are eaves or overhangs.  South and west facing eaves should be big enough to keep out the harshest sun in mid-summer, while being small enough to allow as much sun as possible in during the winter months.  The optimal sizing is reasonably easily calculated using sun tables for your location.

Prevailing wind

There are 2 reasons for determining this.  Firstly, from a cooling perspective.  Here in Sacramento we have the delta breeze which is a wonderful thing on a hot evening.  So careful choice of room, door and window location and size allows a homeowner to use passive airflow to help cool and ventilate their home for free.  It will also make outdoor living areas much more comfortable to use.

On the other hand, we want to design to minimize the negative effect of strong winds.  Living in a warm climate, most Californians like to take advantage of as much outdoor living time as possible.  Poor design, which allows too much wind, can render outdoor living areas impossible to use during less favorable weather.

View

I like to capture the view from as many rooms as possible.  Yes, I've even had picture windows from the master bath in more isolated locations so the owners can soak in their tub and still see the view!  Normally it's the living areas and master bedroom that get first dibs on the view.  As mentioned under Sun, there are, sometimes, compromises to be made when the view isn't in the best place.

Obstructions

Nearby buildings, trees, hills - all these effect my train of thought when deciding where to place rooms.  This can be complicated where the view and a large obstruction are in the same direction, and it's not always possible to shield the obstruction out.  However, careful placement of openings and screening can help reduce the impact of obstructions.

Client needs

Some families spend a lot of time outside, others prefer more inside.  Determining this allows me to design for the indoor/outdoor flow that suits their needs.  It also allows for dedication of the right amount of outdoor living required.