“The Best Plan Yet” – Floor plan submitted by Mr. Howland and originally published in Orson S. Fowler’sA Home for All, 1853.
Octagon houses are eight-sided houses that were popular in the United States and Canada mostly in the 1850s. They are characterized by an octagonal (eight-sided) plan and often feature a flat roof and a veranda that encircles the house. Their unusual shape and appearance, quite different from the ornate pitched-roof houses typical of the period, can generally be traced to the influence of amateur architect and lifestyle pundit Orson Squire Fowler.
_2.JPG/500px-McElroy_Octagon_House_(San_Francisco)_2.JPG)
Note: when comparing raw numbers, the size of walls is only part of total external surface of the house, that also includes roof and foundation. So whiles walls do save 20%, the foundation and roof are 1:1 matching floor surface, so effective saving in materials, and in thermal insulation is more in the range of 12-15% depending on height of the structure.
There is also some material and time "overhead" for having to cover triangular surfaces.
There is also some material and time "overhead" for having to cover triangular surfaces.
But even with that, the advantage or octangular shape is very real.
Imagine getting 10% "discount" on house price, would not you take it.
Say if house price is $500K, and get $50K discount, that is a "big deal".
Imagine getting 10% "discount" on house price, would not you take it.
Say if house price is $500K, and get $50K discount, that is a "big deal".
And is mostly ignored!?
Also, the advantage is most pronounced on small, rather than on large structures.
For those buying a million dollar house it is almost counter-productive to optimize for efficiency, since they are optimizing for "wealth image". But for those optimizing for price, that is on smaller structures, there is where design advantages make most difference.
For those buying a million dollar house it is almost counter-productive to optimize for efficiency, since they are optimizing for "wealth image". But for those optimizing for price, that is on smaller structures, there is where design advantages make most difference.
