Adjudication
This will be one of the most precarious processes in your architectural career. I am speaking from a UK perspective where, as it stands, to qualify as an Architect, you need to know construction law and the various common forms of contract and procurement. In most cases you'll be advising a client and if they get into hot water with a builder you will have to guide them through the adjudication process. It's a quick, legal dispute resolution process that is statutorily available to all parties in a Construction contract except for homeowners unless its in the contract.
This is something that sets us apart form other designers. We have to deal with so much more and you've really got to know your stuff when it comes to law. Every email, message that you send could come back to bite you so before you click send, imagine you're going through…
First floor:
With a pitched roof, you always seek to maximise head-height by rising up the stair following the slope of the roof, trying to get the 2m head room required by regs. This could happen anywhere along the length of the plan, but the local architect had a central dormer and round window proposed so aligning to this gave an opportunity for a nice view and double-height space below. Additionally, if I were to place this stair to either side of centre, it could result in more corridor space rather than living space. Wardrobes are placed at the eaves which although ok at 1.7m high at the lowest point, mean that once you put in a wardrobe of standard depth (600mm) the standing height at the front of a wardrobe would be in excess of 1.8m.
This concluded a quick 15/20min exercise and hopefully you can see how a simple layout can be justified. It is these justifications that we present to the client - a mixture of practical and emotive moves. A balance between the two is important to sell your idea: it can't all be artistic license because that is so subjective. Providing practical reasons makes your proposal stronger.