Starting with a house design is the most common mistake. The right order is the opposite: read the plot first, learn where the sun travels, where the view opens up and where the trees already stand. The house comes out of that.
The plot first, the house second
The path of the sun
Watch where the sun rises and sets. A south facing elevation takes more light, while the north side stays cooler in summer.
Terrain and water
The slope decides where water collects after rain, and that feeds directly into the foundation design.
The best angle for the view
Find the point where the Caucasus and the Trialeti ridge open up most fully. That is where the main window belongs.
Existing trees
Mark the mature paulownias. They are ready made shade and ready made privacy, and recreating either would take years.
A simple test
Visit the same plot twice, once in the morning and once in the evening. The difference in light will tell you more than any drawing.
Zoning in four parts
- 1The approach zoneEntrance, parking and service space. This zone usually sits on the road side and buffers the street from the house.
- 2The house footprintThe building itself. A house often sits on the centre line of the plot or slightly towards the road, leaving a private garden behind.
- 3The active gardenTerrace, dining space and the part of the plot where you actually spend time. It makes sense on the view side, in the shade of the trees.
- 4The natural zoneThe part of the plot where the trees are left alone. This is not wasted space, it is what gives the settlement its character.
Keeping the trees
Felling a tree takes a day. Growing one takes years. So it is worth mapping the trees before construction begins: where they stand, what diameter they are and what shade they cast at midday.
- Mark every mature tree on the site plan before construction starts
- Plan the route for construction vehicles so the root zones are not damaged
- Fit the foundation outline around the trees rather than the other way round
- Keep the shade over the terrace, because that is where you will feel it most
- Plan soil recovery on compacted areas once the build is finished
Help on site
Oxygenia gardeners help residents care for the paulownia trees growing on their plots. That matters most during the construction period.
Typical floor areas
| Use | Indicative area | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Compact country house | 60-90 sq m | Two bedrooms, open kitchen and a terrace |
| Family house | 110-160 sq m | Three bedrooms, a work corner and a large terrace |
| Terrace | 20-40 sq m | On the view side, in the shade of a tree |
| Parking | 15-30 sq m | In the approach zone, on the road side |
| Service space | 8-15 sq m | Storage, utilities and garden equipment |
These figures are indicative. The final decision depends on the size of the plot and on the requirements of the development plan.
What works and what does not
What works
- Fit the outline of the house to the terrain, not the other way round
- Point the main living space towards the view
- Plan the terrace in the shade of an existing tree
- Settle the utility routes before the foundations
- Account for natural water drainage in the very first sketch
What causes problems
- Transplanting a ready made design from another plot
- Felling trees to free up space
- A terrace on the north side, where the sun barely reaches
- Not planning access for construction vehicles
- Reading the development plan requirements too late
Frequently asked questions
With the plot, not with a house design. First work out the direction of the sun, the slope, the best angle for the view and where the existing trees stand, then fit the house to all of that.
As many as you can. The Oxygenia approach is to preserve as many trees as possible during construction, because they are what create the shade, the privacy and the microclimate.
It usually works well to place the house so that it divides the plot in two: an open approach zone and a private garden behind. The exact position depends on the view and the terrain.
The requirements of the detailed development plan, the route for utility connections, how water drains naturally across the site, and access for construction vehicles.