Browse Forums General Discussion 1 Feb 17, 2010 9:57 pm Hi. Building a new house sometime this year. I've been looking at a lot of display homes lately and I can't help wondering why the aflresco area's seem to always be positioned on the side of the house? I figured most people would want them to face the back yard so you can sit out in the sun and admire your hardwork? Cheers. Re: Why are alfresco's always on the side of the building? 2Feb 17, 2010 10:00 pm Mine is at the back ;D Re: Why are alfresco's always on the side of the building? 3Feb 17, 2010 10:04 pm Yeah, now that makes sense to me. We have decided on a house to build but the only thing I don't like is the patio or "Alfresco" or "Piazza" or whatever you want to call it being on the side of the house. I just noticed this seems to be a trend in new homes and was wondering what the logic is (if any) behind it. Re: Why are alfresco's always on the side of the building? 5Feb 17, 2010 10:32 pm I'd say it probably stems from the fact that the average size building block is shrinking at the same time our houses are expanding, and therefore the great Aussie back yard is often little more than a postage stamp. The Alfresco simply works best in many project home designs when placed on the side (often the same as the garage) as this is generally the wider side of ones block. Re: Why are alfresco's always on the side of the building? 6Feb 17, 2010 10:37 pm Ours is at the back. Re: Why are alfresco's always on the side of the building? 7Feb 17, 2010 10:45 pm I agree, the alfresco should be a feature within your backyard. Many display homes have them on the side due to their design. The alfresco needs to come off a living/dining area, and many homes these days have rumpus rooms and kid's bedrooms down the back, so the alfresco doesn't work in that location. There would also be instances with that Ikon said, about the garage and the wide part of the block. That being said, I designed my alfresco on the side also, all due to design, but it still faces the backyard. I like homes where the backyard is visible from the main living area. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Blog is now up - http://www.jbdave.blogspot.com/ Re: Why are alfresco's always on the side of the building? 9Feb 18, 2010 6:37 am I also think it's to do with the size/shape of blocks. Some blocks are so small they don't have a backyard anyway, so they just put the alfresco wherever works best with the house. Although we are on acreage so have a huge yard, our alfresco is actually on the side. Our 'backyard' is really on the side of the house, so it would have been pointless for us to have the alfresco on the back, as it wouldn't be facing the yard. Re: Why are alfresco's always on the side of the building? 10Feb 18, 2010 6:40 am Mine is at the back too! Henley - Wilshire Mk 3 ... I love my house!! Site start: 4th Feb 09 Handover: 10th Sep 09 Blog: http://stormygirlscastle.blogspot.com/ Build Thread: viewtopic.php?t=7166 Re: Why are alfresco's always on the side of the building? 11Feb 18, 2010 7:26 am I see some "land-locked' alfrescos at the side - what I mean is they have house on 2 or 3 sides and fence on the other and no view/access of the back yard - not a fan of them myself because I like a garden and the alfresco to have access, vision and flow to garden. However ours is on the side but open to the garden - it goes the full width of the double garage and along the side of the house to the back wall, opening out from the family room. In effect, opening onto the back as the back alfresco do. This worked with the design of our house, there is still a relatively deep backyard behind the house. (about 15m) Yes, it is close to the neighbours as garage is on the boundary but they only have their bathroom and laundry opening to that area, so not a problem. Have enclosed plan as Im not sure above makes sense Re: Why are alfresco's always on the side of the building? 12Feb 18, 2010 10:57 am Ours is out the back. Although we do have a second paved patio area on the side of the house - but I had that put on for the dogs Re: Why are alfresco's always on the side of the building? 13Feb 18, 2010 12:10 pm Sometimes it's about solar orientation. And it doesn't matter that the alfresco is on the side if your garden is too (ETA: obviously project builders don't create a design with solar orientation in mind... but for some blocks it works out that way!) Re: Why are alfresco's always on the side of the building? 14Feb 18, 2010 12:16 pm Mines stuck on the back, I like it there as i can sit and stare at the garden!! Although the house i'm renting has the alfresco on the side, and the view is of the fence. Not very soothing and relaxing at all!! viewtopic.php?f=31&t=22766 - my build thread! Time waits for no man. Unless that man is Chuck Norris. Re: Why are alfresco's always on the side of the building? 15Feb 18, 2010 12:25 pm Like others have said it stems from the fact that new land release blocks these days tend to be wide and short rather than skinny and long. We are on a long skinny block (14m wide by 58m long) as our house that we knocked down was from the 1940's so our Alfresco is on the back. We could have put it on the side due to the design of the house but it wouldn't have been as big. Re: Why are alfresco's always on the side of the building? 16Feb 18, 2010 1:22 pm Ours is on the side because our house is loooonnnnggg and wouldnt fit anywhere else Custom European Cabinets - Melbourne Kitchen Specialist PM for business details as website currently being updated! Our Crazy Owner Builder Journey! Re: Why are alfresco's always on the side of the building? 17Feb 18, 2010 1:26 pm Oh dear, they seem to have forgotten my alfresco altogether when they built my house 50 odd years ago! Re: Why are alfresco's always on the side of the building? 19Feb 18, 2010 1:54 pm Ours is at the side too, i think having an outdoor space sort of cutting into the shape of the house lets a bit more natural light into the internal areas. (ours is not under a roofline, so actually maybe you can't call it an official alfresco?? but anyway, its our outdoor eating area!) We have enough space at the back for one but I like the idea of having two outdoor areas - one grassy and one paved or decked. I do like the idea of having ANOTHER one out the back though!!! "Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions." — Elizabeth Gilbert Living in our new house. Currently scaping the land. 6 11528 That sucks! Hope it all works out. Good to move away from steel anyway for all your reasons, but it's also thermally poor. 16 17774 Hi All, I just wanted to close this topic out with an update. So we ended up agreeing to a number with the insurance company, and after an extensive amount of hand… 8 23388 |