Public-to-private hierarchy: entry → public living → semi-private → private — never reverse
Susanka — Public-to-private hierarchyDescription
Visitors walking from the front door to wherever the homeowners receive them should pass through a clear hierarchy: entry (transition), public living rooms (where guests are welcomed), semi-private (kitchen, family room, office), private (bedrooms, primary suite). The path should run from public to private — never the other way (no visitor walks through a bedroom to reach the living room). Design the floor plan with the entry-walk in mind.
Why this exists
This sequence is what makes a home feel 'organized' rather than chaotic. The Bauhaus-style 'one big space' approach can miss the social need for layered privacy. Architects designing the public path should walk it mentally — entry, then living, then where do guests go for an extended visit?
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
- Intimacy Gradient · Pattern 127
- Long Thin House · Pattern 109
- Main Entrance · Pattern 110
- Half-Hidden Garden · Pattern 111
Last reviewed 2026-05-15.