For the same plan there can be several possibilities for Elevation.When you ask an office of an Architect for an Elevation of the house,naturally the junior most person will prepare an Elevation using usual Elevation techniques.Chief Architect or the person with proven creative capability in that organisation may give general guidelines for the junior.The thumb rule in this case is simply that it should look good when presented to the client.Sometimes even works which may not be possible to do or which may be difficult or costly to do also will be included in the Elevation.As long as it looks good for the eyes of the Client,it is fine.
Same Elevation when drawn in three dimensions with photo like qualities just like the picture at the top of this blog, will be pleasing for the client.Nether the client nor the Architect office do not bother much about practical difficulties for building like that and cost implications and other technical problems involved.In short Elevation prepared can at best be a gimmick to fool the client.
With over 200 houses directly built by me and that too most of it with excellent external appearance,I have to admit that not even one of these actual good elevations developed by me were exactly same as the Elevation I gave to the client initially(usually within a week of finalising plan).
For developing a good Elevation I need time to think and dream.I cannot give such an Elevation within a week or two.During the progress of work I think about various possibilities and then slowly I develop a good Elevation.For doing such a work,I need a client who trusts in me and give me time and freedom to develop a good Elevation as the work progresses.
I have given a desktop Elevation(Elevation prepared immediately after finalisation of plan to satisfy and impress client) to my client at Edappally who was very particular about the Elevation.Luckily as the work progressed he went out of India on assignment and I got freedom to develop a real good Elevation for the house in his absence.On coming back after his trip abroad,what he saw was impressive enough.So he did not bother to enquire about difference with original Elevation given.My clients at Kalady,Nilambur and Chengannur wanted to see completed picture of the house in advance.So I simply given them a copy of Edappally house.
At Irinjalakuda,client did not know much about house construction and so did not bother me much about Elevation.So I developed a real good Elevation which gave different appearance from different angles of view and still retains exceptionally good appearance for the building.At Vyttila,client was a Civil Engineer working in Construction industry but in Africa.Even though he pestered me a lot on giving an Elevation in the beginning,I some how convinced him to give me freedom to do Elevation slowly and he was happy about the final result.At Cherthala,just like Irinjalakuda I slowly developed a good Elevation with excellent result.At Koratty client after seeing Cherthala work,wanted me to copy it for them.
So I will not suggest you to get a desktop Elevation prepared by your Architect simply to fool you.Give time to the Architect..Let him dream enough to get you a real good External appearance for the building.At least I need that freedom if I am your Architect to get you the best possible Elevation for your house.
Showing posts with label Elevation for house. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Elevation for house. Show all posts
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Thursday, October 8, 2009
In search of a good Elevation
While dealing with house construction clients in Kerala,it is very common to hear from them that they require very good Elevation or appearance for the house.
Some people even send Elevations of houses they have seen in websites of builders and send it to me saying that I want my house to look like this.The person who make such demands is not even bothered about plan of that house which may be totally different from his requirement,budget and it may not even fit into his property.Who bothers about all these?
Most of them think that a good Architect is simply some one who can draw impressive Elevation from any plan of the house prepared by any one.Again usual Malayalee expectation of a house to be built is that the house should look impressive from outside.For them an Architect is some one capable of doing this from any plan.So you do not require an architect to draw plan of your house.A lot of people think that if they draw few lines and write whatever measurements they feel like,it will be the best plan for his house.
”After all,how can an Architect draw plan of my house when I am spending my money?.Let him draw a good Elevation for the house preferably one which look like a photo.I should know how the house will look,when completed”
A good elevation is possible only for a good Plan of the house.An Architect has to use the following during preparation of plan of a house.
1. His knowledge.
2.Years of experience in designing and building houses.
3.Structural engineering aspects to reduce construction costs.
4.Modern architectural techniques to enhance utility of every bit of built up space.
5.Ensure proper ventilation and lighting using sunlight in all living spaces.
6.Proper control and protection from sunlight,winds and rain for every living space.
7.Vasthu compliance
8.Reduction of cost by better utilisation of available resources.
9.Plan to obtain good external appearance for the building not only from front side but from every sides of the building.
Additionally for Malayalees,
10.Try to make the house look bigger than what it really is.
I can tell many stories of experiences in dealing with clients about each of these aspects.But I will tell only two experience detail here.
At Punalur,I met an NRI who has become rich only very recently for design of his house in his existing plot.When I reached from Cochin with prior fixing of time,I had to wait at his rented accommodation for nearly an hour for the simple reason that my novae rich client wanted to make me wait for making me feel his “greatness” in front of me.
Before even proceeding to see the plot,he opened his laptop and showed me house pictures taken from websites of villa builders.
“I want house like this”
I said Okay.When I reached the plot ,the plot has only more cents which is only area of the land.It has very little width and the picture he showed simply will not fit into that plot.Even though I tried to prepare plan suited to that plot and his requirements,he was adamant that the plan does not suit with the plan he showed me.What will I do and how will I make him understand the fact?
At Irinjalakuda when I went to design and build a house father of my client had one simple demand.
House should look bigger than the new house of a film star nearby even though he cannot have 6500 sft plinth area of house of film star.He cannot go beyond 4000 sft.With 4000 sft.I designed and built house looking bigger than that 6500 sft house of neighbour.
Plan of the house is the most important, most valuable drawing of your house.Try to get the best talented Architect for preparation of that unique plan specifically suited to your plot,requirements and budget.A good plan will naturally give you a good elevation.But give the Architect time to dream and visualise a good plan and give him more time to develop a good and unique appearance for your house.Do not make him design in a hurry for you.Some times he may need more time to dream well for you.
Some people even send Elevations of houses they have seen in websites of builders and send it to me saying that I want my house to look like this.The person who make such demands is not even bothered about plan of that house which may be totally different from his requirement,budget and it may not even fit into his property.Who bothers about all these?
Most of them think that a good Architect is simply some one who can draw impressive Elevation from any plan of the house prepared by any one.Again usual Malayalee expectation of a house to be built is that the house should look impressive from outside.For them an Architect is some one capable of doing this from any plan.So you do not require an architect to draw plan of your house.A lot of people think that if they draw few lines and write whatever measurements they feel like,it will be the best plan for his house.
”After all,how can an Architect draw plan of my house when I am spending my money?.Let him draw a good Elevation for the house preferably one which look like a photo.I should know how the house will look,when completed”
A good elevation is possible only for a good Plan of the house.An Architect has to use the following during preparation of plan of a house.
1. His knowledge.
2.Years of experience in designing and building houses.
3.Structural engineering aspects to reduce construction costs.
4.Modern architectural techniques to enhance utility of every bit of built up space.
5.Ensure proper ventilation and lighting using sunlight in all living spaces.
6.Proper control and protection from sunlight,winds and rain for every living space.
7.Vasthu compliance
8.Reduction of cost by better utilisation of available resources.
9.Plan to obtain good external appearance for the building not only from front side but from every sides of the building.
Additionally for Malayalees,
10.Try to make the house look bigger than what it really is.
I can tell many stories of experiences in dealing with clients about each of these aspects.But I will tell only two experience detail here.
At Punalur,I met an NRI who has become rich only very recently for design of his house in his existing plot.When I reached from Cochin with prior fixing of time,I had to wait at his rented accommodation for nearly an hour for the simple reason that my novae rich client wanted to make me wait for making me feel his “greatness” in front of me.
Before even proceeding to see the plot,he opened his laptop and showed me house pictures taken from websites of villa builders.
“I want house like this”
I said Okay.When I reached the plot ,the plot has only more cents which is only area of the land.It has very little width and the picture he showed simply will not fit into that plot.Even though I tried to prepare plan suited to that plot and his requirements,he was adamant that the plan does not suit with the plan he showed me.What will I do and how will I make him understand the fact?
At Irinjalakuda when I went to design and build a house father of my client had one simple demand.
House should look bigger than the new house of a film star nearby even though he cannot have 6500 sft plinth area of house of film star.He cannot go beyond 4000 sft.With 4000 sft.I designed and built house looking bigger than that 6500 sft house of neighbour.
Plan of the house is the most important, most valuable drawing of your house.Try to get the best talented Architect for preparation of that unique plan specifically suited to your plot,requirements and budget.A good plan will naturally give you a good elevation.But give the Architect time to dream and visualise a good plan and give him more time to develop a good and unique appearance for your house.Do not make him design in a hurry for you.Some times he may need more time to dream well for you.
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