Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Porch roof that dosen't make the house dark



OK, this is a really common question and the solution is really easy.  Lots of people want a covered outdoor area but they are worried that this great area will then make their adjoining room too dark.  While this is a real worry, we need to take into account the direction that the covered porch faces, the window location and how high the roof is on the new covered porch.  What we are doing here is determining the relative sun angle and how the new porch roof will block the light entering the windows.  Sometimes, the easiest way to achieve this is to locate the new covered outdoor space away from the primary building.




Another method for assuring that the sun will still shine into your home is to place the new covered area in a location that won't block the windows. This can be achieved by placing the roof beside a window or even pulling the covered area away from the home to allow light to flow into the adjoining room.




Often, the covered space can be used  as a means to create a courtyard or a sense of enclosure within an outdoor space that is open yet still intimate in scale. This provides an inviting area to look at from inside the home as well as designing gathering space outdoors.



Each and every project and building site can lend new opportunities for creating a special gathering space without impacting the quality of light or view from the main home.

It is critical to have your architect "walk the site" to be sure that opportunities are not missed.  The layperson often sees what is there now, while a trained architect can see how to best utilize what the site has to offer.  Do we have a view we are trying to capture, frame, block or enhance?  How can we enjoy this beautiful property each and every day? what is the optimum location on the site to best capture the hidden treasure that the property has to offer?  you and your architect should be having these conversations. 

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