Floor plan – examples and what it consists of

The construction of a house entails all the inherent problems regarding its landscape, cultural, and customary framing. The design of a residential building seeks to address all of these challenges, through various typologies of floor plans that anticipate the future residents’ use and experience. Achieving the user’s identification with their home is a task of vital importance. 

There are several ways to approach the client’s needs. We can resort to the design of spacious and comfortable access areas, semi-public or private spaces, or the way we intend the house to communicate with the exterior areas.

What is a house plan?

The house plan is one of the most important tools in architecture, as it allows for the organization, proposal and communication of the space to be inhabited. It is through the plan that both the interior spaces and their relationships with each other and with the exterior are studied. 

In essence, a house plan is a document that presents, among other elements, the dimensions of the spaces, their articulation, as well as correct or incorrect lighting and ventilation. In fact, this document serves as a fingerprint or identity document for the property, as it fully identifies it. 

More than a mere technical drawing, the house plan expresses a way of living. When well-designed, it reflects the users’ lifestyle and establishes a coherent link between form, function and context.

What is represented in a house plan?

While some information is relatively easy to interpret, others are more technical. However, in general, the following elements are usually included:

  • Access points to the property (pedestrian or otherwise);
  • Floor levels in relation to the natural ground level and street;
  • Location of doors and windows;
  • Names and areas of the rooms/spaces;
  • Floor layout;
  • Permeable surfaces of the site.

The examples of floor plans presented below are from European countries with temperate climates and refer to different housing types, such as: terraced houses, detached houses, single-storey houses or multi-storey houses. These variations reflect specific cultural, climatic or urban contexts, or even result from the particular desires of the client.

Gracia House em Barcelona, Espanha.
Arquitectos: Roman Izquierdo Bouldstridge

Saramagayo House em Mesão Frio,Portugal .
Arquitetos: MJARC

Planta de moradias com mais de um piso

3 Houses em Colombes ,França .
Arquitectos: NOVO architectures

Plantas casa

Villa Varoise em França
Arquitetos : NADAAA

When analyzing a floor plan, you should take into consideration the following details:

  1. Solar orientation
    This is typically indicated with a North arrow, which serves as a reference for assessing the sunlight exposure of interior spaces. Proper orientation significantly influences the home’s thermal comfort and energy efficiency.
  2. Scale
    To understand the actual size of the house, it’s important to know the scale used in the drawing. You will usually find a scale notation such as x:xxx.
    Typically, architectural floor plans are drawn at a 1:100 scale — meaning that each centimetre on the drawing corresponds to 100 centimetres (1 metre) in real life.
  3. Measurements
    All dimensions in a floor plan must be accurate — from the thickness of the walls to floor heights and distances between rooms. These figures are essential for ensuring the precise execution of the construction work.

Ready to analyze the floor plan of your home?

La construction d’une maison implique de nombreux défis liés à son intégration paysagère, culturelle et aux habitudes de vie locales. La conception d’un bâtiment résidentiel vise à répondre à ces enjeux en adoptant différentes typologies de plans qui anticipent l’usage et le mode de vie des futurs occupants.

Faire en sorte que le propriétaire s’identifie à sa maison est une tâche essentielle. Il existe plusieurs approches pour répondre aux besoins du client : créer des espaces d’accès spacieux et confortables, définir des zones semi-publiques ou privées, et réfléchir à la manière dont la maison interagit avec les espaces extérieurs.