One of the most popular Art Deco house designs is the north-facing design. This design style emphasizes lots of natural sunlight in the living and dining areas. When designing this style of home, it's important to consider elements such as roofing, siding materials, and window placement. Architectural details such as curved window shapes, stone surrounds, and terraces are often employed to enhance north-facing house designs. Interior details such as stained-glass partition screens, tiled fireplaces, and innovative furniture pieces are often used to complement the overall design. Some of the most popular Art Deco houses with north-facing architecture include the Schonbach house by Adolf Loos, the Minkovsky residence by Marek Sikora, and the Shostakovich villa by Konstantin Melnikov. These iconic homes have been designed with north-facing features, such as large windows, flat roofs, and decorative ironwork.North-Facing House Designs
North-Facing House Designs
The south-facing house designs of the Art Deco era focused on the interior living spaces. This style of home design utilizes an open-style floor plan with strategic placement of large windows and natural light sources. Elegant interior details such as detailed moldings, intricate staircases, and unique furnishings are often employed in these designs. Architectural features of south-facing designs range from flat roofs to sloped roofs, from arches to curved walls, and from terraces to courtyards. Some of the most iconic Art Deco houses with south-facing features include the Lefuel house by Maurice Tabard, the Flegel House by Robert Mallet-Stevens, and the Kurz residence by Serge Soudeikine. These homes attribute their beautiful exteriors to the carefully designed south-facing orientations.South-Facing House Designs
South-Facing House Designs
East-facing house designs take advantage of dramatic morning sunlight. This type of design incorporates large windows and tall outdoor spaces that face in the direction of the rising sun. East-facing house designs often incorporate architectural details such as balconies, arcades, and curved pillars. These features create an aura of grandeur, as sunlight is cast across them throughout the day. The most famous east-facing Art Deco houses include the Bijvoet house by Marc Pakvis, the Cartwright House by Michel de Klerk, and the Fels house by Erich Mendelsohn. These homes utilize dramatic east-facing features, such as wraparound verandas and tall subterranean gardens.East-Facing House Designs
East-Facing House Designs
West-facing house designs are a great choice for creating an inviting atmosphere for evening gatherings. When designing a home with a west-facing orientation, elements such as large windows, gardens, courtyards, and terraces are often employed. The distinctive style of these homes include intricate details such as lavish tile floors, exit piers, flat-roofed gables, and carved stone fireplaces. Famous examples of west-facing Art Deco houses include the Barrymore house by Francis Rattenbury, the Clark Estate by Michael Gotch, and the Kilbourn residence by Antonin Balschak. These legendary homes exude opulence and grandeur, with carefully placed west-facing elements.West-Facing House Designs
West-Facing House Designs
Northeast-facing house designs incorporate the best of both north- and east-facing orientations. This house style focuses on creating a livable home that boasts of numerous natural light sources. This type of home design is often suited to hot climates, as it can help to keep temperatures cool. Architectural features such as flat roofs, arched entries, and entrance halls are often employed in homes with northeast-facing orientations. The most popular Art Deco houses with northeast-facing elements include the Reif Houseby Werner Jeker, the Leasy residence by Rudolf Schickel, and the Phillipshouse by Julius Meybohm. These iconic residences take advantage of both calming natural sunlight and dramatic overhangs.Northeast-Facing House Designs
Northeast-Facing House Designs
The northwest-facing house designs of the Art Deco era emphasized inviting indoor living spaces. This house style often employs tall windows, wide terraces, and spectacular views focuses on creating homes that are inviting and comfortable. Architectural details such as corbels, arches, columns, and curved walls are often used to enhance this style of home design. Famous examples of northwest-facing Art Deco houses include the Florsch House by Eric Mendelsohn, the Bell House by Michael Gotch, and the Sarginski House by Anatoli Pozdeyev. These homes combine the beauty of northwest-facing views with the grace of Art Deco era designs.Northwest-Facing House Designs
Northwest-Facing House Designs
Southeast-facing house designs focus on incorporating plenty of natural light into the living spaces. This house style uses covered porches and tall windows to capture early morning light, as well as alfresco areas with lush gardens to create beautiful view corridors. Architectural details such as grand porticos, latticed walls, and intricate staircases are often included in the southeast-facing design. Some of the most popular Art Deco homes with southeast-facing elements include the Melnikov House by Konstantin Melnikov, the Perkins House by Michael Gotch, and the Garmendia House by Michel de Klerk. These iconic homes take advantage of the golden hour to create elegant and inviting living spaces.Southeast-Facing House Designs
Southeast-Facing House Designs
Southwest-facing house designs use abundant natural light to create cozy and inviting spaces. This style of home design makes use of large windows and outdoor features to capture the warm glow of the setting sun. Architectural details such as sloped roofs, stucco walls, and terraces are often included in the southwestern design. The most famous southwest-facing Art Deco homes include the Fox House by Mies van der Rohe, the Joffe House by Peter Behrens, and the Collella House by Clemens Holzmeister. These residences make use of the last light of the day to create unique experiences for their inhabitants.Southwest-Facing House Designs
Southwest-Facing House Designs
Sunset-facing house designs make the most of the last light of day, bathing the home in warm hues. This style of home design incorporates outdoor features such as balconies, patios, and terraces for catching the wonderful sunsets. Interiors are often decorated with dramatic fireplaces and floor-to-ceiling windows to further enhance the sunset-facing view. The most iconic sunset-facing Art Deco houses include the Sobanova House by Ilya Slominski, the Murkovich House by Vladimir Preobrazhensky, and the Korobov residence by Mihail Barkhin. These masterpieces of design take advantage of the magical twilight to provide a grandeur that is often overlooked.Sunset-Facing House Designs
Sunset-Facing House Designs
Passive solar house designs make use of the sun's energy to enhance the energy efficiency of homes. This type of house style incorporates large windows, roof overhangs, and other elements that capture the sun's heat and light for heating and cooling purposes. Interior details such as spacious rooms, insulated walls, and reflective surfaces are often employed in passive solar house designs. The most celebrated passive solar Art Deco houses include the Seidler House by Richard Neutra, the King House by Robert Mallet-Stevens, and the Schwartz House by Le Corbusier. These homes are examples of how architects can take advantage of the sun to create energy-efficient, comfortable living spaces.Passive Solar House Designs
Passive Solar House Designs
The Interaction of Wind Direction and House Design
Wind direction is a critically important factor to consider when designing a home. Architects and designers must be aware of the direction the wind is traveling to ensure that a structure is both airy and comfortable for its inhabitants. It can also have an impact on the cost of heating and cooling through effective ventilation.
Along with the underlying orientation of the structure, the wind direction can also play a role in the placement of elements such as windows and even some of the material choices. For instance, a home that faces the wind may require the use of materials that are resistant to the strong gusts. Although it is not impossible to build a home in an area with strong wind, it requires extra consideration in the planning stages.
Harnessing the Wind
By taking advantage of the wind direction patterns, architects are able to create houses that make the most out of the breeze. That can translate into increased home comfort, with rooms that stay cool even during the hottest days of summer. Ultimately, making the right decisions during the design phase can save homeowners money on their energy bills.
Smaller elements, such as selecting the right window placement and the use of overhangs, can also be extremely effective. By understanding the local wind patterns, architects can orient the structure for maximum benefit and make the most out of the resources available.
Maintaining Balance
At the end of the day, finding the right balance between wind direction and house design is key. Architects should strive to create passive solutions that maximize the benefits of the local weather patterns. An example of this would be designing the home to integrate the natural cooling and heating properties of the wind. Doing so, means the home is comfortable while reducing energy consumption and proving cost savings.
