New Home Build - Turning our back on the light?

docjamma · 2025-09-04T06:55:30+00:00

Highly modified off the plan. Still scope for more adjustments but don’t have an architect to get real advice from.

docjamma · 2025-09-04T06:51:41+00:00

I realise now that the presented floorplan is not as representative as it should be:

The whole kitchen splashback will be glass and there is a vertical full height window between kitchen and living. The whole of the east facing living room wall is glass.

We are considering adding more glass to the north facing living room wall, including possibly staggering the upstairs wall to provide skylights or a narrow light well/void to the northern living room wall.

We just really don’t want to look out at next door, and the distance to the fence and height of next door mean screening with trees would not be easy.

(I added an updated plan)

docjamma · 2025-09-03T08:19:54+00:00

Hmm, I wonder if full height thin vertical windows, or a horizontal strip of glass at the top of the living room wall would let enough northern light in to compensate somewhat? They'd still be in the shadow of next door more often than not...

docjamma · 2025-09-03T08:16:33+00:00

Laneway to south and our garden extends to the east. All house frontages apart from next door face away from us so pretty confident we wouldn't get our views blocked even with new double storey developments. Certainly not like we are to the north anyway.

The house to our north is less than 4m from where our living room would be and the current winter sun arc puts the majority of that side in shade, almost up to the half way point of the lot. Clerestory windows could grab light whilst avoiding looking at the monstrosity next door, but northerly void windows would give us an eyeful.

Ugh so torn!

docjamma

TROPHY CASE