Some 3D Views of the Design

I have been entering Dan Wheeler's design into the computer using some rather brain-damaged CAD software.  The nice feature is that we can get 3-D views that can be rotated which give us some good intuition of the spaces.  The view above is of the south side of the house (with slightly different fenestration) than we will actually have.  The view below show the north side with the walk-out basement.

We decided that it would be foolish not to put in a basement so, at the last minute, we added one to the plan.  It nearly doubles the space but costs (depending on how you calculate it) between 4% and 6% of the cost of the house.  The house is situated on a hillside which is perfect for the walkout.  It will provide ample studio space and workshop space.  I've never much cared for basement spaces but this should work well.  Eventually we will add the upper level door and deck shown in the picture.  The opening for the walk-out basement is between the two small retaining walls the jut out int he image above.  The foundation will be back-filled with dirt to those walls.

The hole for the basement is being dug now.  There has been an interesting transition in the perceived size of the house on the site.   The stakes marking the house on the building pad made the house seem absurdly small.  Once the hole for the basement was started (it is 4' wider than the actual house to leave room to build the forms) everything looks absurdly large.