Renovation of an Existing House: Reorganizing Spaces and Enhancing Energy Efficiency

Historical Background of the House

This house was built in the 1980s, following the prevailing design principles of that time. The layout featured a semi-buried ground floor housing the garage and boiler room, while the upper floor was dedicated to living spaces. The attic was converted into bedrooms to meet the family’s needs.

The Extension and Its Challenges

In the early 2000s, an extension was added on the garden side to accommodate a large living room. However, this extension soon began showing signs of deterioration, highlighting the construction challenges associated with both older buildings and modern expansions.

Dealing with Legal Damages

After a period of legal proceedings, the owners finally obtained compensation for the damages to the house. This experience emphasizes the importance of proper planning and building maintenance to ensure long-term sustainability.

Reconstruction Approach

After overcoming difficult years, the owners decided to move forward with a new construction project. In this context, the architect proposed a different strategy: retaining as much of the existing structure as possible while demolishing only the damaged sections. This approach reflects a vision that balances preserving the original structure with contemporary renewal, considering both sustainability and cost-efficiency.

Strengthening the Existing Structure

The focus was initially on reinforcing the building envelope to add external insulation, which contributed to improved energy efficiency and protection of the structure from external climatic factors.

Roof Redesign

The roof was completely rebuilt, allowing the creation of a spacious and bright additional floor. This change not only added living space but also enhanced the quality of natural lighting and ventilation within the house.

Replacement of the Damaged Extension

The damaged extension was demolished and replaced with a new timber-framed structure, reflecting a move towards lightweight and sustainable materials, while maintaining design flexibility and compatibility with the existing structure.

Improving Internal Circulation

The internal circulation within the house was redesigned to seamlessly connect the different levels, transforming this multi-story building into a flowing living space across three floors. This process reflects the importance of spatial thinking when working with existing buildings and makes movement between floors smoother and more natural.

Opening the House to the Outdoors

As the renovation progressed, the house became more open to the exterior, favoring cross views and dual orientations. This design enhances the connection between indoor and outdoor spaces, allowing better natural light and air circulation.

Entrance and Circulation Paths

The main entrance was relocated from the former garage, with its floor lowered to provide a more generous ceiling height. A concrete staircase leads directly from this entrance to the living area, creating a seamless transitional experience that combines practicality with aesthetic appeal.

Bedrooms and Views

The attic bedrooms feature floor-to-ceiling windows, breaking the sense of confinement typical of traditional attics. These windows provide expansive, unobstructed views of the surrounding greenery, enhancing the sense of openness and spaciousness.

Focus on the Landscape

The main living area is oriented toward different vistas, one overlooking the valley and another facing the garden. These multiple orientations create a bright and expansive environment, giving each corner of the house a unique character that enhances the connection with the natural surroundings.

Organizing Functions and Spaces

The large living area stretches through the house from north to south, with varying volumes that naturally define different functions. The space meanders to accommodate the living room, library, piano nook, dining room, and concludes with an arched-window-style kitchen fully open to the garden. These level variations create a natural hierarchical sequence between the rooms, enhancing the sense of internal flow and intelligent functional organization.

Rearranging External Functions

All functions that do not require thermal insulation were relocated outside, allowing for improved insulated volumes within the interior. The garage was repositioned along the street side, reflecting an effective design strategy to optimize space usage while maintaining the thermal performance of the house.

Energy Efficiency as a Design Priority

The project primarily focused on enhancing energy efficiency within the house. The double exterior envelope provided perfect insulation without thermal bridges, while the roof and lower floor were insulated to create a continuous thermal envelope that maintains consistent temperatures throughout the building.

Ventilation and Thermal Control Systems

To further improve energy performance, a dual-flow ventilation system was installed to reduce heat loss and enhance the efficiency of the central wood stove. The design also incorporated triple-glazed windows in the extension for improved insulation, while the skylight above the staircase allows for natural ventilation during the summer months, facilitating the release of hot air and reducing reliance on air conditioning.

Renewable Energy and Solar Control

Solar panels installed on the garage roof contribute to balancing the household’s electricity consumption, while adjustable shutters on the southern façade provide protection from direct sunlight in summer and maximize solar gains in winter. This solution reflects the smart integration of renewable energy strategies with architectural design.

Sustainability and Reducing the Carbon Footprint

By retaining the existing structure rather than demolishing it and relocating non-essential functions outside the main house, a balance was achieved between preserving the building and renewing it sustainably. The addition of full external insulation, along with the installation of a sustainable heating system, significantly improved energy efficiency. Thanks to these measures, the house now provides the family with a modern and comfortable living space while reducing its carbon footprint and promoting resource sustainability.

✦ ArchUp Editorial Insight

Although the renovation project of the existing house reflects a focus on preserving the original structure and enhancing energy efficiency, allowing the reorganization of internal and external spaces to improve the living experience, there are aspects that require careful consideration when studying such projects. For example, emphasizing sustainable materials and thermal insulation is appropriate, but it can be costly and requires careful monitoring to ensure long-term performance, especially in older buildings.

Additionally, reorganizing internal circulation and opening spaces to the outdoors offers opportunities to improve natural lighting and ventilation. However, relying on timber solutions for the new extension and the increased ceiling heights may pose challenges in maintenance and future flexibility for expansion or modification.

On the other hand, the project provides a valuable knowledge base for architects and those interested in reusing existing buildings, particularly in integrating sustainable solutions with the original structure. It also highlights the importance of balancing design ambition with costs and technical considerations, such as heat and ventilation management, as well as the limitations of insulation in older buildings. Overall, the project can be considered a useful learning experience, yet it demonstrates that achieving a balance between renovation, sustainability, and practical flexibility remains a challenge that must be considered in similar future projects.

Prepared by the ArchUp Editorial Team

Don’t miss the chance to explore more from Architecture in fields like Buildings and Design on the ArchUp website.