Contents page

Literature Review …………………………………………………………………………………1

Introduction………………………………………………………………………………..1
Why we need project ……………………………………………………………………..1
Historical background …………………………………………………………………..1
Characteristics of residential buildings ………………………………………………...2
Factors affecting the project ………………………………………………………………..3
Types of residential buildings …………………………………………………………...
Design standards ………………………………………………………………………..
Case study ……………………………………………….........................................................
Fallingwater ……………………………………………………………………………….
Farnsworth’s home …………..………………………………………………………….
Amsalu’s home ...……………………………………………………………………….

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INTRODUCTION
Shelter, along with food and clothing, is one of Man’s three most essential necessities. Shelter
protects people from the weather, shields them against wild animals and insects, and provides a
place to rest.
From times immemorial man has been making efforts in improving their standard of living. The point
of his efforts has been to provide an economic and efficient shelter. The possession of shelter
besides being a basic, used, gives a feeling of security, responsibility and shown the social status of
man.
Building types may range from huts to multi-million dollar high-rise apartment blocks able to house
thousands of people. Increasing settlement density in buildings (and smaller distances between
buildings) is usually a response to high ground prices resulting from many people wanting to live
close to work or similar attractors.
These building include any building in which sleeping accommodation provide for normal residential
purposes, with or without cooking and dining facilities. It includes single or multifamily dwellings,
apartment houses, lodgings or rooming houses, restaurants, hostels, dormitories and residential
hostels.
WHY WE NEED THE PROJECT
#To analyze and know all information’s about a residential building
#To know factors affecting, types, properties of a residence and the environment around it.
#To carry out our final residential home design appropriately.
HISTORICAL BACK GROUND
In the earliest prehistoric era, before Man knew how to build shelters, they made use of the natural
environment to provide them with shelter. The earliest forms of shelter were those in trees, where it
would provide minimal protection against the searing heat of the sun and the cold of the rain. Also,
trees protected Man against animals that could not climb up the trees.
Another natural form of shelter was the cave, which provided greater protection against inclement
weather, though offering less protection against wild animals.
The first man-made shelter was believed to have been made out of stones and tree branches. The
stones were placed at the base of the structure to hold the branches in place. Man slowly learned
the make simple tools that would allow them to build better structures, and later on these structures
gradually evolved in shape and form. Other materials such as huge stone slabs, bones, and even
animal hide were used to built the structures, which then provided much more stability, security and
comfort. Eventually, earth was taken from the ground and dried in the sun to form clay blocks,
leading to the usage of bricks as the basic building block of shelters.
And during the middle age frameworks of heavy timber or wood, and spaces between the wood
were filled with clay. Some of these structures developed
into fortified castles of the Middle Ages, with thick stonewalls, water filled moats, and drawbridges.
Inside the walls, people built stables for horses, barracks for soldiers, shops for making tools and
weapons, kitchens, dining halls, and even prisons for enemies captured in wartime.
The Early Modern Period encompasses the late Renaissance period as well as the Early Industrial
Age. Many technological innovations took place in this period, some of which formed the foundation

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for building shelters in the modern day. Glass was used extensively in this period, and altered the
facade and window construction details considerably. Then there were large use of wood and nail
One predominant factor featured in the construction of shelters in the Contemporary Era. Shelters
were no longer simple structures, but were towering high-rise buildings that were usually
constructed with either concrete or steel. A major innovation was the development of the steel frame
as a structural element. Bricks were still used in buildings, and glass has been used extensively to
give the building a modern look and feel.
CHARACTERSTICS OF A RESIDENTIAL BUILDING
Location – is the exact position where the residential building is located
Light and Brightness – is the amount of light which your building is allowed to have.
Privacy –is the degree of exposure of the residence to the external environment or person.
Security –is the safety of the building to with stand intruders or other security problems.
Size – is the size and scale of the building relative to our standard and context.
Visual Openness – Having a view is nice, and open space is more preferred .
Special relation – is the most important one.is the inter relation between two areas of the residence
(eg dining kitchen relation)
Green – Good for energy efficiency/cost savings and goes well with the environment.

Scale: the building size and envelope is small when compared to other buildings like commercial,
governmental…

Materials: mostly we don’t see materials like steel, aluminum, concrete in residential, rather we would
see materials like stones, wood frame.

Cost: they are cheaper than other buildings because of their materials, scale, human skill they need,
time used to build them.
have lower infrastructural needs, no need of elevators, cafeterias…

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FACTORS AFFECTING A RESIDENTIAL BUILDING

There will be a lot of problems when designing a building which can led us into some unwanted change
in our designs. But as an architect we should always think of them as an opportunity to add something
new in our design. Here are some of the problems to face

Environment
Soils: should be compact or compacted to resist the loads from the foundation.

Topography: for aesthetic and economic, as well as ecological reasons, the general intent in developing a
site should be to minimize the of the existing landforms and features while taking advantage of natural
ground slopes and the microclimate of the site.

 Wet lands and other wild life habitats may require

protection and limit building area of the site
 We can elevate a structure on pole piers to
minimize the disturbance of the natural terrain
and existing vegetation
 Terracing or stepping a structure along a slope
requires excavation and the use of retaining walls
or bench terracing
 Cutting a structure in to a slope or locating it
partially underground moderate’s temperature
extremes and minimizes exposure to wind and
heat loss in cold climates.

Hydrology: any ground water present must be drained away from a foundation system to avoid reducing
the bearing capacity of the soil.

Vegetation: existing healthy vegetation’s should be preserved whenever possible. Existing trees should be
protected for an area equal to the dimeter of their crown. They can provide us with being:

 Wind break
 Defining Spaces
 Directing or screening views
 Attenuating Sound
 Improving air quality
 Stabilizing soil

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Sun: the location, form, and orientation of a building and its spaces should take advantage of the
thermal, and psychological benefits of sun light. There are systems to use the sun

Direct gain: collect heat directly within an interior space. During the cooling season, operable
windows and walls are used for natural or induced ventilation.

Indirect gain: controls heat gain at the exterior skin of a building. Energy moves through the wall by
conduction and then to the space by radiation and convection.

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Wind: the direction and velocity of prevailing winds are important site considerations. Wind induced
ventilation of interior spaces should be considered. We can locate the openings of our building
according to wind direction.

Sound: sound requires source and a path. Undesirable exterior sounds or noise may be caused by
vehicular traffic, air craft, and other machinery. To reduce the impact of exterior noise, therefore

The first consideration should be distance: - location abuilding as far from the noise source as possible.
when the location or dimension of the site don’t make this possible. then the interior space of a
building may be screened from the noise source in the following ways
 Use building zones where noise can be tolerated. For example, mechanical, service and utilities
ares as a buffer.
 Use building materials that reduce the transmission of air born and structural sound.
 Orient doors and windows away from sound source.
 Utilize dense trees to scatter sound.

Regulatory factors: zoning ordinances are enacted within a municipality or land-use district to
manage growth, regulate land-use patterns, control building density district development to areas
with adequate services and amenities, protect environmentally sensitive areas, and conserve open
spaces.
Natural ventilation

Ventilation is the movement of air through the rooms of a dwelling, or the rate of air change. This
affects air quality, which is important for health and wellbeing. Where ventilation can occur by natural
means and be controlled by the occupant, this can reduce energy consumption and aid thermal comfort.

Privacy

Among the most difficult problems in housing layout is striking the right
balance between the need for privacy and the need to avoid social
exclusion. The balance obviously varies according to individual character,
temperament and age so no perfect solution is possible, but good layout
will at least allow some degree of individual choice. Designs which opt
strongly for either a ‘social’ or ‘private’ approach may not satisfy the
majority of occupants. Dwellings opening directly onto busy public spaces
and access decks designed to encourage social contact and neighborliness
may also suffer intolerable intrusion, while screening designed to provide
‘defensible space’ may result in roads and footpaths bounded by blank walls and fences. Either
approach is likely to lead to feelings of insecurity and dissatisfaction amongst residents.

In high-density layouts, in particular, user satisfaction is likely to be enhanced, and the incidence of
vandalism reduced, by sub-division of large anonymous public areas into smaller spaces related to
identifiable groups of dwellings. For houses, a public access road may lead to a mixed-use pedestrian
vehicle court, with psycho- logically restricted entry, related to a group of 20 or so houses and then to a
further transition zone provided by a front garden to each individual house. For flats, the transition can
be by a semi-private lobby zone (see also the security issues at the end of this section).

Context

The Guidelines are structured around six elements of design consideration with a focus on built form:
and all these should be considered under Ethiopian way.

-Urban context -Building envelope

-Circulation and services -Street pattern and street-edge quality

-Building layout and design

All of the above requirements, together with any restriction on type and density of use,
define a three dimensional envelope beyond which the volume of a building may not extend.
Refer to the applicable zoning ordinance for specific requirments.
Neighborhood factors: age of surrounding housing stock, schools, crime also affect the
characteristics of a residential building.

TYPES OF RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS

The Villa
A villa was originally an ancient Roman upper-class country house. Since its origins in the
Roman villa, the idea and function of a villa have evolved considerably. After the fall of the
Roman Republic, villas became small farming compounds, which were increasingly fortified
in Late Antiquity, sometimes transferred to the Church for reuse as a monastery. Then they
gradually re-evolved through the Middle Ages into elegant upper-class country homes. In
modern parlance, 'villa' can refer to various types and sizes of residences, ranging from the
suburban "semi-detached" double villa to residences in the wild land–urban interface.
Single-Family Home
Single family homes are homes built on a single lot, with no shared walls. Sometimes there’s a
garage, attached or detached.
Pros: Single-family homes tend to offer more privacy and space than other types of homes, and
frequently come with private front and back yards. Since you don’t share the property with
anyone else, you are free to express yourself with any type of home design you choose. You’ll
also have a more reliable resell value than condos and townhomes.
Cons :This home type generally requires a lot more maintenance, and all of the cost for that falls
on the shoulders of the homeowner. With condos and townhomes, you share the costs involved
with yard maintenance, plumbing, roofing and building amenities.

Condominium

Condominiums are single units within a larger building or community. Condos share a wall or
two with other units, They are popular in urban, high-density areas, where there are many
restaurants and shops.

Pros: There is minimal responsibility on the homeowner’s part to contribute to maintenance and
upkeep. For example, if the roof goes out, you share the costs with other residents instead of
paying for the whole thing yourself. Additionally, some condos offer gyms, lounge areas, pools
and other amenities that you might not be able to afford or have space for in a single-family
home.
Cons: Condo homeowners’ associations often limit the types of remodeling you can do, and
there can be pet and rental restrictions as well. HOAs want uniformity and safety; you don’t want
one homeowner replacing doors and windows if they’re not to a high standard, or safely
installed! In addition, because you share a space with others, there’s not as much privacy, and
you need to be extra cautious of disturbing your neighbors because they are so close.

Townhouse

Townhouses are a hybrid between a condo and a single-family home. They are often multiple
floors, with one or two shared walls, and some have a small yard space or rooftop deck. They’re
generally larger than a condo, but smaller than a single-family home.

Pros: Townhomes often have more privacy than a condo might afford. Some have HOAs or joint
maintenance agreements to share upkeep costs. They tend to be more affordable than a single-
family home.
Cons: Townhomes don’t usually have shared amenities like a gym or a pool, but they’re not as
private as a single-family home.

Co-op

Cooperatives, or co-ops, are a slightly different way of holding a title to a shared building. With a
condo, you own the space within your unit, but with a co-op, everyone owns the building
together. Because of the shared responsibility, there’s often an interview process to become
part of the community.

Pros: Co-op owners usually take on maintenance as a community, so they tend to have lower
HOA dues. They also tend to be less expensive than comparable condos.
Cons: You share financial responsibility of the whole building with your neighbors, which means
if someone stops paying their mortgage on a co-op, the bank can foreclose on the whole
building. It can be more difficult to get a loan for a co-op than a condo; most require more
money down, and some banks won’t support it.
Multi-Family Home

Multi-family homes are the least common type of residential building. They are essentially a
home that has been turned into two or more units. They can be row house-style or have multiple
floors, and range in size from a duplex to a four-plex; anything more than four units is
considered commercial. Some multi-family homes have a separate entrance for each unit, while
some share a main entrance. The distinction between multi-family units and condos is that the
units can’t be purchased individually; there’s one owner for the whole building.

Pros: Multi-family homes are ideal for those looking for an investment property: many decide to
live in one unit, and rent out the others for income, or simply rent out all units. They are also a
great option for multi-generational households; they allow family members to live in the same
building but have their own unit.
Cons: Multi-family units are a hybrid between a single-family home and a condo. The units tend
to be smaller than single-family homes, and less private. If you’re renting one, the maintenance
costs go to the landlord, but if you own one, you’re bearing all the costs for maintenance plus
the time commitment of finding renters.

Design standards
Entrances: All building entrances are required to be clearly articulated to indicate a transition
from the exterior to the interior of the building. Every main entrance is required to have a special
emphasis when compared to the other portions of the building
Facade Articulation: Buildings designed with completely flat façades and monotone color
schemes are not permitted. All buildings are required to have horizontal and vertical façade
variations such as pop-outs, bays, recesses, arches, banding, columns, or similar features.
Such features are required at least every 30 feet along all exterior wall planes.
Height and Roofline: Varied roofline elevations are required in order to add architectural
interest and avoid the appearance or sense of long, monotonous roofline expanses. A variation
such as a parapet or tower is required every 50 feet of roofline. Also, mechanical equipment
mounted on the roof must be screened and the back of parapets must match the color and
materials of the building.
Massing: Proper massing reduces the impact of the massive bulk created by large buildings
that may not otherwise relate in scale to surrounding development. Vertical articulation,
horizontal articulation, and multi-planed roof or awnings must be used in designs to mitigate the
impact on surrounding development and the overall landscape.
Materials: Quality long-lasting materials are required for all buildings in order to contribute to
the value of the community over the long term. A minimum of three colors per elevation
required. Colors have to be sensitive to existing development in the vicinity. 65% of the surface
materials are required to include brick, stone, metal panels, or cement-fiber siding. Stucco, vinyl,
or block may be used as an accent only. A sample board containing physical samples is
required.
Openings: Windows are key to the overall design of a building and the relationship between the
exterior and interior. The majority of windows are required to relate to the scale of a person.