On a 12-acre plot of land, you can create a useful and aesthetically pleasing outdoor space by making a convenient and practical plot. Careful planning and design are essential whether you’re creating a children’s play area, a cozy seating area, or a lush garden. You can make the most of every square inch of your land and make sure it fulfills your needs and improves your way of life with the appropriate layout.
Considering your intended use for the 12-acre plot is one of the first steps in planning it. Do you need space for hosting guests, raising vegetables, or just a quiet place to unwind? Establishing your priorities will help you make more informed design decisions and guarantee that every space has a distinct function. A well-planned layout can reduce wasted space and establish a smooth, harmonious flow throughout your house.
Consider the natural elements that are already present on your plot when creating your layout. The placement of various features can be influenced by trees, slopes, and existing structures. For example, using natural shade for seating sections can offer a refreshing haven on hot summer days. Take into account how your plot is oriented to maximize sunlight for solar panels and gardens.
Accessibility is a key component of a practical layout. The placement of walkways and paths should be planned to connect various areas and facilitate easy plot navigation. This enhances the overall aesthetic appeal in addition to improving functionality. Paths that are long-lasting and aesthetically pleasing while blending in with the surrounding environment can be made with materials like mulch, stone, or gravel.
Finally, consider your flexibility and future needs. Your outdoor space should be flexible enough to change as your family grows and your interests do. Including easily repurposed open areas is a key component of flexible design. Using this method will guarantee that your 12-acre plot is useful and enjoyable for many years to come.
- Where to start designing?
- How to execute the scheme correctly?
- Storage planning rules
- Rectangular
- Square
- Triangular
- Round
- Polygonal
- Placement of objects in areas of different shapes
- Rectangular
- Square
- Triangular
- Round
- Polygonal
- Space zoning
- How and where to place a private house?
- Arrangement of other buildings
- Features for plants
- Garden
- Flowerbeds
- Garden
- Reservoirs
- Development of a project for a country plot
- Possible mistakes
- Example with photo design with a house, bathhouse, garage
- Video on the topic
- landscape design on a plot of 12 acres
- Two options for planning a land plot of 12 acres
- Landscape design of the plot, layout of the plot of 12 acres
- Landscape design of a plot of 12 acres in Moscow, Layout of a plot of 12 acres
- Layout of a plot of 10 acres for individual housing construction | Online plot planner.
Where to start designing?
Correct zoning cannot be implemented without a plan and diagram being created. In order to accomplish this, they take the current memory layout and scale it down, transferring its boundaries, figuring out its form, and arranging the objects that will be placed on it according to its intended use.
Following that, these items are cut out of colored paper to scale and positioned on the diagram while accounting for the minimum distances needed to avoid boundaries and red lines in order to comply with fire, sanitary, and construction regulations.
How to execute the scheme correctly?
The most crucial phase of planning is zoning. Although a land plot may have several functional zones, they are all grouped into four groups for ease of understanding:
- Residential building 10%.
- Outbuildings, garage and bathhouse – 10%.
- Gardening area – 65%.
- Recreation area with a sports or children"s playground, swimming pool and artificial pond -15%.
You must consider the following in order to place objects on the plan correctly:
- form of memory;
- cardinal directions;
- compass rose;
- terrain – hills and lowlands, natural bodies of water and existing trees and shrubs;
- depth of groundwater.
We start drawing objects on the diagram after gathering all of the data that characterizes the memory. Use a pencil to trace the outlines of paper objects to accomplish this. Such a 12-acre plot can be used for the following:
- residential building with a detached or built-in garage;
- car parking;
- livestock shed and woodshed;
- bathhouse or guest house;
- gazebo;
- water;
- recreation area;
- sports or children"s playground;
- well;
- compost pit.
Organizing your outdoor space into a useful and pleasurable haven on a 12-acre plot can be accomplished with ease. You can make the most use of your land and keep an attractive landscape by carefully designing sections for gardening, lounging, and entertainment. Walkways, seating sections, and well placed plantings are examples of features that can improve the space’s flow and usability. Your 12-acre plot can meet your needs for a harmonious blend of beauty and utility with the appropriate layout and diagram.
Storage planning rules
Initially, they choose where to put the house, and in this decision it is crucial to consider the cardinal directions. The utility rooms (laundry, kitchen, and furnace room) should all have windows or blank walls facing north. Additionally, it’s critical to keep a minimum of 5 meters between you and the red line, as well as 3 meters between you and the boundaries of any nearby landfills.
Rectangular
With the standard aspect ratio of 30x40m, these are the most practical areas to zone. Storage areas that are narrow and have an aspect ratio of 20 by 60 meters are deemed challenging.
Standard rectangular areas with flat terrain have the following benefits:
- Versatility in the arrangement of objects, both symmetrical and asymmetrical.
- Possibility of street and central placement of the house, proportionality of the location of functional areas.
- Possibility of placing the necessary outbuildings and household buildings.
- Large selection of home ownership and landscape design projects.
- A good investment, such plots are highly valued.
There are drawbacks to narrow, rectangular landscaping, particularly in areas with poor terrain. It will be challenging to find objects that comply with minimum fire and sanitary gaps in this situation, and creating the landscaping and maintaining the plants will require substantial costs.
Square
Square spaces are preferred over areas with irregular shapes as well, but in order to withstand less tearing than a standard rectangular area, a more compact arrangement of objects is needed. The house must unquestionably be situated in the middle of the 34.6 x 34.6 m area, or in extreme circumstances, diagonally in one of its corners, with the deaf side facing north.
The zones in this instance can be found symmetrically with respect to the diagonal. A household zone is located in the first section, the recreation area’s center is in the second, and a garden and garden zone are in the second. Garden plants serve as a barrier between zones.
Benefits of this kind of site:
- economical arrangement of objects;
- the possibility of choosing any house and landscape project;
- compactness of the garden and sedate zone;
- good design of the house with a recreation area;
- His remoteness from street noise.
One of the drawbacks of a square ZA is its uneven relief, which makes it challenging to locate a house and its outbuildings in relation to boundaries and red lines because they should be situated on a hill.
Triangular
Extremely uncommon plots that are challenging to zone because it is difficult to keep the space between the land plot’s corners as small as possible. The side measurements of a typical 12-acre triangular land plot are 85 x 63.5 x 40 m.
One benefit of this type of land plot is its affordability.
The drawbacks consist of:
- a small gap from the borders to the red lines and walls of the house;
- the complexity of the location of outbuildings;
- the difficulty of choosing a house and landscape project;
- low protection from street noise and dust.
Round
There are hardly any traditional round plots of 12 acres; instead, it is a polygon with rounded corners that has a discernible diameter of roughly 40 m. On such a land plot, zoning is done according to diameter, which enables it to be visually stretched; the radial principle is used to determine where the zones should be placed.
- low price;
- you can create a unique house and landscape project.
- high cost of design work;
- installation of a large number of internal boundaries for zoning in a circle;
- Difficult placement of economic facilities due to restrictions on minimal construction, fire and sanitary gaps.
Polygonal
In practice, this kind of memory is far more common than round and triangular ones. Zoning correctly requires you to count the number of sides and find the longest diagonal, which can be used as the foundation for putting a house on the lot. On this diagonal, the remaining items are arranged asymmetrically. The charger will appear longer in this scenario.
Benefits of this kind of plot:
- low price;
- you can make a corner arrangement of the gardening area, creating unique sectors of certain types of plants;
- Such landfills, as a rule, have several entrances, and therefore the garage can be located deep in the utility zone, reducing the access route along the landfill.
- few placement options for home and ancillary facilities;
- the need to involve landscape specialists to develop an optimal project, taking into account compliance with the topography and minimal gaps to the boundaries.
Placement of objects in areas of different shapes
You can start placing items after deciding on the layout and zoning type, as well as the house’s location, garage, and central entrance. All required residential and non-residential outbuildings, along with a well, garage, bathhouse, and gazebo, can theoretically be found on 12-acre plots. The charger’s shape, the light’s direction, and the wind potential will all affect where it is placed specifically.
Rectangular
The 12 acre plot that is most desired is 30 by 40 meters in size. It is possible to place lengthy paths connecting all of its areas with this form, which is very convenient for planning.
A 120 m³ residential building plan should be located in the northern section because that is where the most shade is found.
Living room windows should be oriented towards the east and west. A veranda is being constructed to the south to shield the interior from the direct sunlight.
The south is one of the greatest locations for garden beds because there are fewer structures and garden trees to shade them. Vegetable beds are positioned mostly based on the soil. They’re found from north to south if it’s clayey.
The best direction for sandy soil is east to west because this slows down the soil’s drying process. They are given a rigid rectangular shape to make them appear more harmonious.
Crucial! The house is situated on the highest point to avoid flooding if the site’s relief is sloping and the majority of it is in a lowland. A residential building is constructed on a hill if it is situated on the long southern slope, and in the center, facing west, if it is situated on the northern slope.
Square
An asymmetrical design is a good way to enhance a square plot. Although this shape may seem uninteresting at first, it allows for a multitude of applications. It is advised to put a residential building on one of the edges in order to conserve central space.
There are paths around the outside, with flower beds spaced along their length. In order to effectively diversify design solutions and produce a much more harmonious space, asymmetrical paths and round decorative elements are used. These mainly consist of circular lawns, flower beds with specific shapes, and gazebos.
Triangular
Ten percent or less of the total area should be taken up by residential structures. Consequently, 120 m2 should be the size of the house.
It is situated on the south side, where the main road and the transportation hub are. Along the site’s northern edge, outbuildings are currently being constructed.
Such storage facilities have paths that run parallel to the boundaries. A recreation area occupies the majority of the central area. There should be wind protection on the north-facing terrace. Installed in a recreational area out of sight of onlookers are gazebos. It may be concealed by ornamental shrubs or features.
Round
This kind of zone arrangement uses radials; the house is situated so that it is not more than three meters from the boundaries, with non-residential properties located in the north and residential properties in the south. Here, work is also being done on the house’s central entrance.
There are fruit trees planted in a circle around the fence. A pond in the middle divides the recreation area. All the objects in a circle are connected by paths. The beds are situated in the plot’s unshaded western section.
Polygonal
Use wide paths when zoning diagonally. This will enable you to set the house’s entrance back from the road, create a private space around it, and divide the areas with a hedgerow.
It will be necessary to set aside twice as much land for recreation on such a site as for farming and gardening. It won’t be feasible to construct outbuildings entirely; instead, you’ll need to decide between building a barn or a bathhouse to guarantee the bare minimum of sanitary and fire distances.
Wind-resistant trees are planted firmly on the windward side, and in areas subjected to strong winds, this type of planting is carried out on all sides to safeguard the soil.
Space zoning
The house can have three different layouts: street, which places it on the site’s street edge; central, which places it in the middle; and in-depth, which places it at the end of the building and in relation to the central passage. Experts think that the most promising location for a house is in the center; in this scenario, symmetrical object placement can be used, and the house will be shielded from dust and noise from the street.
Outbuildings such as a garage, shed, wood shed, or summer kitchen are typically positioned behind a garden area or adorned with small fences or floral decorations in an effort to keep them hidden from guests. They need to be linked together via paved pathways to form a single, integrated system.
Utility buildings are situated with the least amount of sanitary and fire gaps possible:
- yard toilet in relation to the drinking well and the house – 8 m;
- well with drinking water in relation to the compost pit – 8 m;
- bathhouse to the red line – 5 m, to a residential building – 8 m;
- garage, built into the house on the north side or detached at a distance of 3 m to the border;
- barn with animals 15 m from a residential building;
- boiler room or barbecue taking into account the wind so that smoke does not enter the room – 5m.
The vegetable garden and garden occupy the majority of the space; however, when determining how much space is needed for these areas, it is crucial to consider the cardinal directions and the wind rise. The vegetable garden should ideally be situated in the southern portion of the site, with tall trees protecting it from chilly winds on the northern side.
This area should blend in nicely with the flowerbeds, man-made ponds, and recreation area. Minimum distances between trees should be restricted so that tall trees are not closer to the boundaries than 4 m, and medium-sized trees should not be closer than 2 m, in order to avoid hiding the adjacent property.
The focal point of the land plot’s landscaping project is the recreation area. It’s usually directly in front of the house. It is advised to place a gazebo in the center of it. This gazebo can be solid brick or made of wood for summer, and it can have an interior stove so you can enjoy relaxing outside during the cold and rainy months.
Kindly take note! The house’s windows should provide a good view of the playground, which should be situated close to it. Its contents can be combined with a sports field and vary depending on the children’s ages.
How and where to place a private house?
A house can be positioned in one of three ways: city, which is three meters from the fence and runs along the street; central; or at the rear of the yard. The final two are the best options because they shield the house from noise from the street.
More precisely, the site’s shape determines the house’s location and shape in the plan:
- Rectangle, universal shape, the house can be located according to all three standard schemes and have any shape in plan; the location of the house diagonally in the western corner of the building looks very good.
- Square, most owners use an asymmetrical arrangement of objects near the house; the house can have either a central or diagonal location in the northeast corner of the building.
- Circle, only diagonal placement in the depth of the memory and radial zoning.
- Triangle, diagonal location of the house in the depths of the northern part of the plot, so that the shadow does not fall on the garden.
- Polygon, diagonal central placement of the house, other objects are placed asymmetrically.
Arrangement of other buildings
If the north side conditions permit, the garage is situated close to the central entrance. It is preferable to build the garage into the house’s basement, as this will free up more space for a recreational area or vegetable garden.
Crucial! Because a running engine does not promote plant growth, you must allow at least 3 meters for the garden, 1 meter for the site’s boundaries, and 5 meters for the distance to the red line when locating a garage.
Sanitary and fire breaks around the bathhouse are restricted to being at least 8 meters from the house, 5 meters from the red line, and 1 meter from the plot’s edges. The wind rise and the existence of utility networks—such as the water, sewage, and electrical networks—are taken into consideration during planning to prevent smoke from the chimney from entering the living space and the recreation area.
More precisely, the topography and shape of the land plot determine these objects’ locations:
- Rectangular. The bathhouse and the garage are located asymmetrically to the house, the garage is in the northeast adjacent to the house, and the bathhouse is in the southwest, 8 m away from the gazebo located in the center of the recreation area.
- Square. When placed diagonally, the bathhouse is located on the western side opposite the house, 1 m from the fence and 8 m from the gazebo, which is located in the center of the plot in the recreation area, a garage built into the house.
- Circle. The bathhouse is opposite the house 1 m from the border circumference, in the southern part of the building, at the northern central entrance, the garage is built into the basement.
- Polygon. The bathhouse is opposite the house, at the southern border of the property, between them there is a recreation area, along the common side from the west in the corner there is a garden with a gazebo, the distance between them is no more than 8 m., and on the east side there is a garage and a central entrance.
Features for plants
Between 50 and 60 percent of the area is occupied by this zone. In order to prevent dust from landing on the leaves and exhaust fumes from contaminating the fruits, it is typically placed in a "dead" area of the garden, away from the street.
Selecting the right trees is crucial because they will produce fruit for 30 to 50 years. In addition, planting errors can only be discovered after 7 years, at which point it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to fix.
Site owners who do not wish to maintain their garden frequently remove it from the zoning. Alternatively, make small beds for flowers and greenery.
Garden
Three acres is the typical size for planting trees in a garden:
- 5-6 apple trees;
- 1 pear;
- two cherries, plums and sweet cherries;
- 2 peaches for the southern regions;
- 5 bushes of black and red currant;
- 10 raspberry bushes;
- 3 gooseberry bushes;
- 250 strawberry bushes.
Adding a few Christmas trees and thujas to the area is beneficial. They will spread out and produce shade as they age. Furthermore, the house will have a year-round pleasant aroma of pine.
Good information. It is not advised to plant trees very close to buildings because the roots may eventually erode the foundation. The "green" zone should have bushes planted either in the middle or all the way around it to serve as symbolic boundaries.
Flowerbeds
Recreation areas and the main entrance of the house are decorated with an arrangement of flower beds. They differ from one another by a small amount. Consequently, a flower garden lacks a defined border and can take on any shape, even the most odd, whereas a flower bed typically has the proper shape and a fence in the form of a border. It is occasionally set among trees and bushes on lawns.
In addition to aesthetic considerations, the state of the soil and shade should be considered when choosing a location. Selecting the appropriate perennial flowers is essential if you want your flower beds to bloom all through the warm season of the year. Low-growing springtime varieties, like snowdrops and hyacinths, are placed in the foreground, followed by tulips in the center and summer and fall flowers in the background.
Garden
You must set aside the southern region’s sunniest spot for it. For a garden to yield quality harvests, it needs to fulfill specific needs:
- Carrying out agrotechnical activities and applying fertilizers.
- Creating air permeability of the soil, for this purpose various types of disintegrants are added from straw chaff to river sand.
- Organizing good humidity conditions: excess water is removed through drainage or added during irrigation.
- Organization of wind protection of the site.
The entire garden is divided into multiple plots; the main cultures, which need a larger landing area, are planted in a single array; the greens, which are easier to cut, are situated closer to the tracks.
Crucial! Vegetables cannot be planted in the garden’s shadowed aisles, where there is fierce competition for water and a risk of contamination from poisonous products used to prune garden trees.
Reservoirs
Artificial reservoirs may be erected on the property in accordance with SNiP regulations in order to put out fires and fill in pits for irrigation.
However, the building of such an item cannot infringe upon the rights of nearby residents or hygienic regulations. As a result, the creation of such an object complies with the project, which specifies the location of the water source and discharge point.
Maintaining the 3-meter minimum distance between buildings will be required when setting up an artificial reservoir on the ZU.
Development of a project for a country plot
Dacha construction is distinct from regular home ownership in that it is primarily intended for the upkeep of a vegetable garden; minimal gardening is done, and a house for temporary residence as well as outbuildings for housekeeping are constructed on it.
A dacha’s zoning allocation features include:
- In the north there are outbuildings, a toilet and an outdoor shower or bathhouse, a summer kitchen and a garage.
- In the south there is a vegetable garden, the central entrance to the house.
- In the east there is a sports zone and a recreation area.
- To the west is a garage.
- Paths must be durable and connect all outbuildings and areas.
- Parking should be located in front of the house from the central entrance.
An illustration of a summer cottage design:
Possible mistakes
The primary cause of multiple infractions during the development of a site like this is haphazard building and the lack of an initial zoning plan.
In addition to making for an unsightly design and a great deal of inconvenience in daily life, this gives rise to multiple legal disputes with neighbors and regulatory bodies because of violations of minimum construction standards, fire and sanitary gaps between objects, boundaries, and red lines.
Most frequent errors:
- Preliminary drawing of objects on the diagram is not performed.
- When zoning, the wind rose, relief and shape of the plot are not taken into account.
- When locating objects, the groundwater level is not taken into account.
- The rectangular land plot is zoned in violation of the principle of the northern location of the house; the garage and bathhouse are built in violation of the minimum gaps to the borders and the red line.
- Square charger – incorrect location of the house with living rooms facing north, the bathhouse is located close to the house, during operation smoke enters the living rooms of the house.
- Triangular land plot – incorrect placement of the house in a corner, in a lowland, sanitary and fire breaks are not maintained, garden trees are incorrectly placed on the south side, the land plot is open to cold winds.
- Round allotment – improper placement of objects, it was made around the circle, and not asymmetric diagonally, the minimum distances to the boundaries and red line are not maintained, the recreation area and the garden are placed chaotic, and not according to the radial principle.
- Polygonal location – buildings are built without taking into account the relief, real problems are created when moving between objects, a wooden house is located closer than 15 m to the bathhouse.
Example with photo design with a house, bathhouse, garage
It is advised to zone a plot such as this with the house in the center with a small offset to the northern boundary if it is level, runs from east to west, and has groundwater below 1.5 meters.
Adjacent to the southeast side of the house is the terrace. There is a parking lot behind the garage, which is next to the house’s northern wall. Fir trees shelter the northern section of the walls from the wind.
In the northeastern direction, the bathhouse is situated closer to the building’s corner. There is a utility yard with outbuildings located between the bathhouse and the eastern boundary of the allotment.
There is a gazebo and barbecue at the other border. The bathhouse to the gazebo is where the relaxation area is located. The southern edge of the property is where the garden and vegetable garden area are situated.
Area | Description |
Entrance | A welcoming gateway with a driveway and path leading to the house |
House | Main living area positioned for sunlight and privacy |
Garden | Space for flowers, vegetables, and fruit trees |
Patio | Outdoor area for relaxation and dining |
Garage | Storage for cars and tools |
Play Area | Safe space for children"s activities |
Utility Area | Space for composting and storage |
Paths | Connecting different areas with easy access |
Developing a 12-acre plot that is both useful and aesthetically pleasing is a satisfying project that will improve your property’s appearance and functionality. You can make the most of your available space and make sure every square foot has a function by carefully organizing your layout. Your plot can become a versatile and enjoyable space with careful design, from garden areas to outdoor living spaces.
Take into account your land’s natural features when creating your layout. Utilize the water features, slopes, and trees that are already there to create a harmonious fusion of design and nature. By including these components, you can give your story a distinctive personality while saving money and requiring less upkeep.
Your design should prioritize functionality. Set aside parking spots, walkways, and utility zones as top priorities. Make sure these spaces don’t interfere with the general flow of your area and are easily accessible. Additionally, set aside space for any future additions or expansions as a way to plan ahead.
Aesthetics and functionality must be balanced. While keeping a practical layout, add green areas, flower beds, and other decorative elements to your plot to make it more visually appealing. To define distinct zones and add visual interest to your property, use a variety of materials and textures.
Creating a plot that fits your needs and lifestyle is the ultimate goal. Whether your dream space is a big garden, a warm patio, or a kid’s play area, your design should suit your daily schedule and tastes. Your 12-acre plot can become a beautifully organized and maintained area that you will cherish for years to come with careful planning and a clear vision.