House Design Course

Lesson 1 • Reading and Interpreting Floor Plans

Floor plan conventions, symbols, and notation are decoded systematically. Students gain the ability to extract spatial information from standard drawings.

Lesson 2 • Site Context and Orientation

Sun path, prevailing winds, and topography shape early design decisions. Understanding context ensures the house responds to its environment.

Lesson 3 • Architectural Vocabulary and Concepts

Core terms—structure, enclosure, circulation, and programme—are defined and applied. This vocabulary underpins every design decision in the course.

Lesson 1 • Structural Systems in Houses

Wood framing, masonry, and light-gauge steel are compared by load path and spatial implication. Structural logic directly constrains room layout options.

Lesson 2 • Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing Basics

HVAC, electrical panels, and plumbing stacks each require dedicated space and routing. Early coordination prevents conflicts during construction documentation.

Lesson 3 • Accessibility and Universal Design Principles

Universal design integrates accessibility without segregating users or compromising aesthetics. These principles are applied throughout all subsequent design work.

Lesson 1 • Integrating Outdoor Living Spaces

Patios, decks, and covered porches extend the functional area of a house. Their placement must align with interior zoning and solar orientation.

Lesson 2 • Functional Zoning of a House

Public, private, and service zones are defined and separated to reduce conflict. Zoning logic forms the strategic framework for all layout work.

Lesson 3 • Room-by-Room Sizing Standards

Minimum and recommended dimensions for each room type are established using ergonomic and furniture data. These benchmarks prevent undersized or oversized spaces.

Lesson 4 • Adjacency Analysis and Bubble Diagrams

Adjacency matrices quantify desired room relationships before any geometry is committed. Bubble diagrams translate those relationships into spatial proximity.

Lesson 1 • Drawing Set Organisation and Coordination

A coordinated drawing set uses consistent sheet numbering, cross-referencing, and title blocks. Coordination prevents contradictions between architectural and engineering sheets.

Lesson 2 • Elevations and Building Sections

Exterior elevations reveal material, proportion, and fenestration intent. Building sections expose vertical relationships between floors, roofs, and structure.

Lesson 3 • Construction Details and Assemblies

Large-scale details communicate how materials meet at critical junctions. Accurate details reduce field errors and contractor requests for information.

Lesson 4 • Digital Drafting with CAD Tools

CAD layer management, blocks, and plotting settings are applied to residential drawings. Digital workflows accelerate revisions and improve drawing accuracy.

Lesson 1 • Principles of Facade Composition

Symmetry, rhythm, hierarchy, and balance govern how facade elements are arranged. Mastery of these principles produces visually stable and compelling exteriors.

Lesson 2 • Architectural Style and Historical Context

Major residential styles are analysed for their defining proportions, details, and materials. Historical literacy prevents pastiche and informs authentic contemporary design.

Lesson 3 • Exterior Materials and Finishes

Cladding materials are evaluated for durability, maintenance, cost, and visual texture. Material combinations must create coherent, not competing, surface compositions.

Lesson 4 • Fenestration Design and Glazing Strategy

Window size, placement, and type affect daylighting, privacy, and facade composition simultaneously. Strategic glazing balances all three without compromise.

Lesson 1 • Furniture Layout and Space Planning

Furniture placement validates room dimensions and reveals circulation conflicts before construction. Scaled furniture plans are a critical client communication tool.

Lesson 2 • Interior Space Quality and Proportion

Ceiling height, room shape, and natural light define the experiential quality of interior spaces. These variables are manipulated to create specific spatial atmospheres.

Lesson 3 • Kitchen and Bathroom Design

Kitchens and bathrooms require precise layout, fixture coordination, and material specification. These rooms carry the highest cost-per-square-foot and resale impact.

Lesson 4 • Lighting Design for Residential Spaces

Ambient, task, and accent lighting layers are combined to support function and mood. Lighting plans are coordinated with reflected ceiling plans and electrical layouts.

Lesson 1 • High-Performance Envelope Design

Continuous insulation, airtight construction, and thermal-bridge-free detailing define a high-performance envelope. These measures dramatically reduce operational energy use.

Lesson 2 • Water Conservation and Management

Low-flow fixtures, greywater reuse, and rainwater harvesting reduce potable water demand. Site grading and permeable surfaces manage stormwater at the source.

Lesson 3 • Passive Solar Design Strategies

Building orientation, thermal mass, and shading devices reduce heating and cooling loads without mechanical systems. Passive strategies are embedded in the floor plan and section.

Lesson 4 • Sustainable Material Selection

Embodied carbon, recycled content, and material health are evaluated alongside cost and performance. Specification choices are documented in a sustainable materials schedule.

Lesson 1 • Regulatory Compliance and Permit Readiness

Zoning setbacks, height limits, and building code requirements are verified and documented. Permit-ready drawings reduce review time and avoid costly resubmissions.

Lesson 2 • Schematic Design to Design Development

Schematic concepts are refined by resolving structure, systems, and envelope into a coordinated design. Each discipline's input is incorporated without losing design intent.

Lesson 3 • Construction Administration Fundamentals

Site visits, submittal reviews, and change order management protect design intent during construction. These skills complete the designer's role from concept to occupancy.

Lesson 4 • Design Presentation Techniques

Rendered plans, 3D views, and material boards communicate design intent to non-technical clients. Presentation quality directly influences client confidence and approval speed.