Inside-outside connection — sliding / French doors, level threshold, deck/patio aligned with indoor floor
Susanka — Inside-outside connectionDescription
Every main living space should have a clear inside-outside connection: a large door (sliding, French, accordion, or a wide single hinged), a level threshold (≤ ½ in), and an outdoor surface (deck, patio, terrace) that extends the indoor floor level seamlessly outside. The visual expansion of indoor space to outdoor space is one of the highest-impact moves in residential design.
Why this exists
Modern living spaces flow indoor-outdoor in mild weather. The detail requires foundation height coordination — the deck or patio surface must meet the indoor floor at the same level, which means specifying the deck OR ledger height during foundation design. Architects designing the indoor-outdoor connection should call out the level relationship on the schematic.
Categories
Source
Solver enforcement
Browsable only — the solver does not currently enforce this directive (no spec-level data to check against). This entry exists so the architect personas can cite it in conversation and the user can read what the rule says.
Related directives
- Common Areas at the Heart · Pattern 129
- Long Thin House · Pattern 109
- Main Entrance · Pattern 110
- Half-Hidden Garden · Pattern 111
- Entrance Room · Pattern 130
Last reviewed 2026-05-15.