AVS. Arkitektúr verktækni skipulag - 01.09.2004, Side 20

the reasoning behind them is not always clear. The
purpose has however surely been to secure the qual-
ity of the built housing. There is ample reason to revise
the requirements on the building regulations concern-
ing minimum sizes of flats and concentrate rather on
necessary space for activities and use. The size of a flat
and the individual spaces is only one factor in its total
quality. Although a large part of older flats do not fulfill
the requirements of the existing building regulations they
are nonetheless in demand because of their variety.
They often have features that make them exciting and
interesting in addition to positive planning aspects like
location, density, shelter and mature vegetation. There
is also a certain quality in tolerable rental- or hous-
ing costs. The existing building regulations make very
limited requirements for sunlight in flats or shelter on
balconies or in gardens. The present building regula-
tions limit the possibility of prioritising available space.
The requirements for minimum size of individual rooms
and connection between them contribute to the narrow
supply of types of flats in housing. The existing building
regulations take little notice of real family size, changed
way of life and needs, differing priorities and emphasis.
The way of life has changed much. Families do not have
as many visitors today and often rent accommodation
for large parties. Large living rooms are therefore not as
necessary as before. People buy more often prepared
food than they used to. Food preparation like the mak-
ing of “slátur”, jams and juices has gradually stopped. In
light of this, minimum sizes of kitchens can be reduced.
People do their washing even daily and that activity has
become simple and quiet. The positioning of washing
machines near to areas where laundry „originates” - in
bathrooms - is therefore natural. In most homes there
are now one or more computers and computer con-
nected homework has become more and more com-
mon, which creates the need for internet connection to
be standard in these flats.
Comparison to Scandinavian
regulations
Danish and Norwegian building regulations do not make
the same spatial demands as the lcelandic. The Danish
and Norwegian regulations do not aim to secure quality
of housing with demands for minimum square area of
individual spaces. Their requirements are more directed
towards the cubic area (m3) or the fulfillment of specific
demands.
Abolition/change of the minim-
um requirements of the building
regulations
A practicable way to reduce building costs is to make
possible the building of smaller accommodation which
fulfills the same requirements. The building regulations
should rather define demands for needs and use than
demand minimum sizes and provide an opportunity to
increase instead other qualities like bigger and more
sheltered balconies, greater floor to ceiling heights and
the planning of flats on two floors. A flat has to fulfill
minimum requirements for safety and technical equip-
ment but the buyers should be permitted to decide what
qualities they value. The freedom of the builders has to
be increased so that only the outer shell of the flat is
decided but apart from that the owners should be able
to decide the interior as they like. It is also important to
demand that the planning of flats and sizes of rooms
can be changed in a simple and economical way.
Comparison of flat sizes
ln this research, a comparison was made of three flat
sizes that fulfill the requirements of the present building
regulations of storage- and laundry rooms within the
curtilege of the flat and flat sizes that fulfill the same or
more demands in fewer square meters. This is not real
flat-design but only diagramatic drawings. The sizes
given are net, without interior walls. The comparison
shows that the altering of total sizes could result in the
reduction of flats by 11 to 19%. This article only shows
a comparism of type A, A1 and A2. Flat A is 76,5 m2
and is according to the minimum requirements of the
building regulations with a laundry room and storage
room for this size of flat. This flat is for 4 people with the
possibility of a small crib (4,5 bed spaces).
Flat A1 is 76,5 m2 or the same size as A. It is possible
to increase the number of rooms by one by placing the
washer in the bathroom, do away with the storage room
but instead offer the equivalent of 2,5 m2 storage in the
corridor (1,8m long cupboards), combine the living room
and reduce the size of the kitchen. Flat A1 is therfore a
5 person flat (5,5 bedspaces). The lobby is also larger
than in A.
In flat A2 which is 68,1 m2 the living room is enlarged
instead of this gained room, the kitchen reduced and
the equivalent of 2,5 m2 storage area (1,8 m long cupb-
oards) placed in the corridor. Flat A2 is a 4 person flat
(4 bedspaces). Flat A2 is thus 8,5 m2 or more than 11 %
smaller than flat A.
The reduction of building costs
4. room 3. room 2. room
Reduced scuare area 8,4 m2 8,8 m2 10,4 m2
Lowered total cost 1.180.000 kr. 1.230.000 kr. 1.460.000 kr.
ln the calculations of building costs the assumed cost is
140,000 kr/ m2 on average according to the indicative
table of the Housing Loan Fund indexed at Dec. 2003.
The table shows that total costs can be reduced con-
siderably.
Lowering of rent
The effect on social housing will be greater than the
4. room 3. room 2. room
Lowered loan payments Property taxes Heating 65.400 kr/ár 7.400 krJár 3.700 kr/ár 68.500 kr./ ár 7.800 kr/ár 3.700 kr./ár 81.000 kr./ ár 9.200 kr./ár 3.700 kr./ár
Lowered rent a year a month 76.500 kr. 6.400 kr. 80.000 kr. 6.700 kr. 93.900 kr. 7.800 kr.
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