The Atrium home features a central atrium that brings sunlight
down into the center of the home. With the front designed to face northwest,
this plan will fit lots oriented at an angle to the sun. The angled orientation
also allows for more rooms on the south to receive sunlight although the
passive solar performance is sacrificed. It is also not a plan for climates
with hot summers as the southwest side could overheat. Homes with natural
cooling instead of air conditioning will be better able to vent the hot
air.
First Floor
The
kitchen is open to the dining as well as the central atrium and hearth. The dining
area opens onto a screened porch that leads to a deck that wraps the south side
of the home. With the front bedroom by the entry, it would serve equally well
as a study or nursery being not too far from the master suite. The linen closet
also opens to the laundry for convenient placement of dirty clothes and clean
towels.
Second Floor
The quaint loft above with low sloped
ceilings has a study area that overlooks the hearth below and the atrium above.
The front dormer is a cozy nook for meditating or reading. The quaint bedroom
and bath make this loft a child's dream.
Basement
This plan
comes with a full basement. If your land slopes to the south, you could modify
it to allow for sunny bedrooms. The southeast is best since it is not shaded by
the deck. Garage The attached garage is separated from the house by an area with
a mudroom entry and mail nook or pet area. Nearby is a half bath conveniently
located near the kitchen and dining. If your lot was narrow, the garage doors
could be moved to the front.
Construction Info
The great
room, dining, part of the kitchen, and corner sunroom have vaulted ceilings and
are very open. The masonry mass walls in the sunroom help absorb heat. The other
south floors can be covered with thin mass since this is of our house plans with
lower solar gain.
Modification Ideas
Since these ideas may
affect energy performance and structural integrity, they should only be undertaken
with professional assistance. - Flip the laundry and half bath to put the laundry
near the kitchen and mudroom. The half bath could then have a tub or shower added
to function as a full bath for the front bedroom. - Remove the second floor so
that all first floor rooms can be vaulted.
Want to study this sun-inspired house design?
Read more about
the drawings available for various Sun Plans.
Ready to build this house plan?
For this plan, the following are included:
Cover Sheet/Site Plan
Basement Plan
First
Floor Plan including garage
Second Floor Plan
Exterior Elevations (all
sides in detail)
Building Section (section cut that includes interior view)
Kitchen
Elevations
Typical Wall Detail
Schematic Electrical (outlets, switches,
and lights)
Schematic Framing Plans
Custom Energy Specs that describe any
recommended adaptations for your climate – insulation values, glass type for
the various windows, overhang lengths.
Thanks to Joe and Paula for the comments on their Atrium, which was built in a cold climate. They
reversed the Atrium with the screened porch on the southeast, Hydronic radiant
floor heating, and a full-finished basement.
"You’ve asked about the comfort level of the house. I didn’t feel I could
answer knowledgeably until after I lived in my glass house through the
winter. Well, it was 12 degrees last night (Dec 2008). The comfort of
the house is astonishing.
With the large amount of thermal mass and the radiant heat, any temperature
change is so gradual that it is subsequently unnoticeable. In our former
home, you were warm when the furnace was running and cold after it shut
off. In our new home we’re always warm and never even aware of which parts
of the heating system are running... The best part is, instead of always
wanting to curling up under a blanket you walk around barefoot.
We also enjoy living in a house “warmed and brightened by the sun. The
benefits include sitting in the sun enjoying a good book, seeing a beautiful
sunrise as you’re getting ready for work, cooking with fresh herbs gathered
from the sunroom and saving money by heating with the sun. And while the
sun doesn’t shine everyday in Ohio, there is a good deal to be said for
being able to see outdoors even when you don’t want to be outdoors. Even
on a grey winter day, the house is an open, comfortable space with plenty
of natural light.
While we moved in on July 25th, the house was not completed until August
16th... Once we moved in, we could open up the house at night – three
of the atrium windows are operational and have electric motors installed
– and then close the house back up before the heat of the day or before
leaving for work. So far this... home has not only been more comfortable
to live in, it has also been less expensive to operate than our previous
home of 1,700 sq. feet."
Comments from the original homeowner:
"We continue to be delighted with the way it flows and feels. The
downstairs is spacious and graceful, light and airy. The upstairs is funky
and cozy - we rearranged things a bit in the bathroom and bedroom up there,
finding that the bathroom was too tight as planned."
"We moved in in February and found the house comfortable, with nice
direct sunlight. We oriented the house exactly as outlined in your plans.
The house stays wonderfully cool in the summer - that's been a really
pleasant surprise. We open the Atrium windows at night, and in the morning
the whole house is crisp, despite some very muggy and hot days and nights.
All in all, climatically it has been great. And, aesthetically, it's
beautiful! We got lots of comments about how unique it is, and I'm always
amused when people try to come up with what "type" of house it is. I use
that moment to wax on about the passive solar design."
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