House Styles of Residential Buildings

Residential Buildings

As the name suggests residential building is the place where people resides. These shall include any building in which more than half of the floor area is used for dwelling purposes. It is the venue which provides shelter and place for the members of a family to live together and carry on their day to day activities such as eating, relaxing, sleeping, washing, cleaning and bathing. A residential building is not just the place to accomodate people it is the place where a people's dream is built, a residential building's environment reflect its members overall personality. You might have seen several buildings with different designs, beautiful interiors and exteriors look. But did you ever try to know that what they are called according to their styles. Every residential buildings are categorised as per their styles, design and planning. They are:

1. Single-Family House Style

These are independent structure built to accomodate a single family. These type of houses may be detached i.e., not surrounded by any neighbouring building. Single family house may contain one, two or somwtimes even three bedrooms depending on the no. of people going to live in that house. Some bedrooms may have attached toilets. Other than bedroom it contains drawing room, dinning room, bathroom, kitchen and verandah enclosed by a compound. It may be single storeyed or two storeyed. Sometimes a two storeyed single family house is built in which all the bedrooms are provided on one floor and kitchen, dinning, verandah, etc., on other floor. Since it is surrounded by open space so they provide good ventilation, maximum privacy, illumination and natural breeze. This type of house is generally occupied by rich people or higher income group people and is constructed where sufficient space is available. A typical layout plan of a single family house is shown below:

2. Multi-Family House Style

This type of house style contains two identical house separated by a wall between them. These are semi-detached i.e., two independent house built side by side. It is same as the single-family house having one, two or sometimes even three bedroom with attached toilets, drawing room, dinning room, kitchen and verandah enclosed by a compound. Since two house is built next to each other the orientation of one portion has to be compromised i.e.,one portion of house may not recieve the same amount of illumination, ventilation or natural breeze than other portion. It has somehow less privacy than single-family house but more secure as you have a neighbour residing next to you who can rush to you if any emergency occurs. This type of house are generally built by the member of  a same family and requires sufficient space for its construction. Since it is the repetition of same design one thing should be kept in mind that a future renovation or remodelling of the house may alter the appearance of the house. Have a look at the layout plan of multi-family house below: 

3. Row-House Style

This type of house has several number of flats built in a row with common wall. Each flat contains one bedroom, kitchen and toilet. The main purpose of this type of house is to accomodate large no. of people in less area. These houses are poorly ventilated and illuminated as all the flats are built next to each other one by one within a closed area. It has less privacy due to common wall between each flat but very secured as there are lot of people to help in case of emergency. Its construction is cheap and generally aquired by poor people or low income group people. This type of house is generally not owned by its residents rather they resides there on rent. This type of house just serve the purpose of needy people who needs a shelter to live. A layout plan of row house is drawn below:

4. Appartment House Style

Appartments are multistoreyed buildings containing several number of flats on each floor. These are block of flats and each flat contains one, two or sometimes even three bedroom, kitchen, dinning, bathroom and verandah. The flats in aappartment are often referred as 1 BHK, 2 BHK and 3 BHK flats. This type of house recieves good ventilation, illumination and natural breeze. The flats are designed and decorated as per the choice of the people going to resides in those flats. This type of house has better privacy and provides good security service. The residents of these flats have flexibility to renovate and remodel the interior and exterior of the flat. This type of house is being constructed at fast rate due to urbanisation. It saves a lot of space and provides people the kind of house they want. The appartments are built by any construction company and its flats are sold to people. This type of house has individual owner for each individual flat. The flats in an appartment is owned by rich people belonging to middle income group or higher income group people. 

5. Duplex Type House Style

This type of house has two storeyed within a single floor. This type of house has recently comes into trends. In duplex verandah, kitchen and dinning is provided on the ground floor and the bedrooms and toilets are provided on the first floor. A stair is provided to connect the two floor. The duplex type houses are well oriented and provides good lighting, ventilation and natural breeze. It provides better privacy due to segregation of floor. This type of house is constructed where less space is available or the cost of land is high due to which all the components of house cannot be planned on the ground surface. People also built this type of house to add more architectural beauty and amazing interior looks. This type of houses are owned by rich people or high income group people. A duplex type house layout plan is drawn below: