Small buildings, drawn carefully
Houses, extensions and garden rooms - and the details that decide whether they are pleasant to live in. These are notes from site visits, sketchbooks and drawings, written down so the lessons are not learned twice.
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Materials
Materials that age well
Some finishes look better after ten years, others only look tired. The difference is mostly about water.
Details
The window reveal is a drawing of its own
Most leaks, cold spots and cracked plaster start at the joint between frame and wall. It deserves a 1:5 detail.
Climate
Thermal mass where days are hot and nights are cold
Heavy materials inside the insulation smooth out large swings between day and night - if the house is lived in every day.
Light
Daylight in deep rooms
Light reaches about twice the window head height into a room. Planning around that number saves a lot of lamps.