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porch? Some points to keep in mind when pla...

What is a front porch? Here

are some points to keep in
mind when planning.
 2022-06-29 Updated

The front porch is an important "face" component

that makes the first impression when visiting a
single-family home. Because it must have both
design and functionality, it is also a difficult place to
design, requiring a careful image of life after
construction.

How big is it? What materials? What do I need to do

to avoid regrets?"

As difficult as it is even for a designer, it might be

natural for clients, who are not normally involved in
construction, to come up with many questions. In
this article, we will explain the function of the front
porch and focus on seven key points to keep in
mind during the planning stage.

We will also introduce some failures and examples

of beautiful porches, so please see to the end to get
a nice front porch with good taste.

<Table of Contents>

1. What is a porch?

2. Role of the Porch

2-1. Keep water out

2-2. Blocking rain and sun

2-3. Place outside items

2-4. Security and privacy

3. Points to keep in mind when planning your

porch
3-1. Size and shape

3-2. Floor materials

3-3. Roofs and eaves

3-4. Door types

3-5. Steps and slopes

3-6. Lightings

3-7. Security measures

4. Examples of failure stories

5. Examples of an architect’s front porch

5-1. "Closed type" entrance porch for both
security and privacy

5-2. Unified front door and convenient parking

5-3. Entrance porch in harmony with

architecture and garden plantings

6. Summary

Editorial supervisor: Mai Fujiki

First-class Architect,
japanese-architects.com
Professional Advisor

Worked for an architect office in Japan for several

years and mainly designed residences, stores, and
offices. japanese-architects.com advisor since
2021.

1. What is a porch?

葉⼭町の家 ｜ Hayama house ( architect：Masatoshi

Yashima & Yuko Yashima )

Porch refers to the entrance area in front of the front

door.

Since family members enter and leave the house

every day, it must be designed with functionality in
mind, such as resistance to water and ease of
cleaning. For visitors, it is the first place they see
when they are invited to the house, and it is an
important place for them to have their first
impression of the house.

This is a testament to the skill of the designer, who is

required to achieve both functionality and design.

2. Role of the porch

板橋⼩茂根の家 ( architect：Ogihara Masashi )

Here are four roles that a porch can play to explain

why a front porch is necessary.

2-1. Keep water out

The primary role of the porch is to keep water out.

A certain length of slope is provided from the house

toward the street, which drains away quickly when
wet from rain. Water is the cause of deterioration of
houses, whether wooden or reinforced concrete.
Porches play a role in maintaining the good
condition of the house by draining water quickly.

2-2. Blocking rain and sun

In many cases, porches have "eaves" to block out

rain and sun.

Without a porch, the moment you open the front

door, you would get wet from the rain and would
not be able to calmly put up an umbrella. On hot
summer days, without a porch, the strong sunlight
will shine on the front door, allowing heat to
penetrate into the house.

The porch allows us to open the front door with

peace of mind.

2-3. Place outside items

Another role of the porch is to protect items that you

want to keep outside from the elements.

Toys played in the sandbox, soccer balls with water

droplets still on them, umbrellas after they have
been used, to name a few things you do not want to
bring indoors as you go about your life, are more
common than you might imagine. Porches are
essential for keeping things you don't want to bring
inside the house outside and keeping the inside
clean.

2-4. Security and privacy

A well-planned porch can also help protect security

and privacy.

Many people are not comfortable with the idea of

opening the front door and seeing the house in a
straight line

On the other hand, if the entrance is not visible from

the street, a problem arises in terms of crime
prevention. Data shows that 20% of burglars enter
through the front door, indicating the importance of
designing with crime prevention in mind.

We must aim for both security and privacy by

planning and design.

3. Points to keep in mind

when planning a porch

にぎやか ｜ NIGIYAKA ( architect：Takanori Ihara )

We have learned that a pouch has four important

roles, but at the same time, we also want to create a
fashionable porch that makes daily life more
exciting. There are seven points to keep in mind in
order to achieve both functionality and aesthetic
sense.

3-1. Size and shape

The most significant factor affecting daily usability is

"size".

Generally, a porch space is set to a size equivalent

to one tatami mat （畳）in planning, but the
appropriate size varies depending on the builder. For
example, if you want to keep your bicycle out of the
rain and prevent it from rusting, you will need a
porch that is 60 cm wide and 180 cm deep in order
to fit it inside. Similarly, if you want to enter the porch
in a wheelchair and turn around to enter the front
door, you will need an area of 150cm x 150cm.

Thus, the size of the porch needed will vary from

person to person, and the appropriate amount of
space cannot be sought without clarifying what will
be done on the porch and what will be placed there.

Consider a space for a stroller if you plan to raise

children, a dedicated space for a delivery box if you
want to place one in the future, or any other
lifestyle-specific space.

In addition to the size of the porch, consider "the

shape of the porch". You may want to retract the
front door and the porch toward the building, to
project them out from the building, or to integrate
the porch and parking lot together in slope. Again,
the key to creating the best front porch is to imagine
your life in concrete terms.

3-2. Floor materials

"Materials used for porches" have the power to

transform the atmosphere. Each material has its own
ease of handling, so we will introduce the
characteristics one by one.

(1) Tile
Products of various designs, sizes, and textures are
available, so you will be able to find your favorite
one. For porch tiles, it is recommended to choose
non-slip "exterior flooring" tiles.

(2) Natural stone

This material has a natural texture that gives it a
luxurious feel. It absorbs water easily and changes
easily over time, recommended for those who want
to enjoy the change in texture.

(3) Mortar
Simple gray mortar is a familiar material for stores. It
can be matte or glossy finish to suit your preference.
It is a versatile material that can achieve beautiful
designs while keeping costs down.

(4) Washed-out
A finish in which mortar mixed with pebbles is
applied and then washed out with water until the
stones float on the surface. The impression changes
depending on the stones used and the degree of
washing out.The sophisticated craftsmanship can
easily be found in this wash-out skills and it matches
Japanese-style interiors excellently.

3-3. Roofs and eaves

A "roofs and eaves" on a porch prevents rain and

snow from wetting the porch. It also prevents direct
sunlight from shining directly on the porch and front
door. The larger the size, the more versatile it is, and
the less likely it is that umbrellas placed on the
porch or items placed outside, such as bicycles, will
get wet. In daily life, it will be effective in preventing
you from getting wet when holding and closing
umbrellas, as well as when you have visitors.

The roof of the first floor may be extended as an

integral part of the architecture, or a single eave may
be installed afterwards. If the roof and eaves are
extended to the approach, it can be used as a
carport to cover cars. This will create a sense of
unity with the architecture and will result in a
beautiful finish.

3-4. Door types

One of the things that gives strong impression on

the ambience of a porch is the front door.

Generally, ready-made products produced by

manufacturers are used, but if you think that the
atmosphere is important, they may be made by
hand. If you insist on having the approach, porch,
entrance door, and eaves all made by hand, a sense
of unity will be created and the space will look
beautiful. The atmosphere will vary depending on
the materials you choose, such as metal or wood, so
be sure to select materials that match the overall
design of the house.

Another thing to keep in mind when choosing a

front door is the "opening". There are a variety of
openings from the building to the front door: some
open outward, some swings inward, some open
wide and double-swing door, some slide sideways,
and others open in a variety of ways. If the door is
often used by the elderly or children, a "sliding door"
is recommended, as it is easy to open and close
with little effort.

If the front porch is narrow and the door opens

outward, visitors may bump into the door, so
imagine the situation in which it will be used and
make your choice.

3-5. Steps and slopes

In order to provide space under the floor for

moisture control and plumbing, "steps and slopes"
are always installed in homes.

The number of steps and the height per step will

vary depending on the original ground level and the
height of the intended foundation, and the length of
the the slope vary accordingly. For steps, the
general height is about 15 cm per step. Lower or
higher heights may be used depending on the
design and relations with the room. The run depth is
generally about 30 cm. The wider the depth, the
larger the area that can be stepped on, making it
easier to walk, but too large a depth makes it more
difficult to walk.

Slopes are primarily employed by wheelchair users

and frequent bicycle users.

A wheelchair user can climb a slope of about 1/12

on his/her own. For example, if you want to connect
a 50cm height difference from the street to the
entrance door by placing a slope, a slope over 6m
long is required.

Gentle slopes are easier for pedestrians to use, and

there is an example of a gentle slope connecting
the street to the front door. Here is an example
where the entire parking lot is sloped without steps.

武蔵野の家 ｜ Musashino house ( architect：Masatoshi

Yashima & Yuko Yashima )

3-6. Lightings

斜⾯の家 ｜ Hillside house ( architect：Takanori Ihara )

"Lighting", which provides a warm glow when you

come home late at night, is another component of
the front porch.

They are essential to light up the hand and feet in

daily life, but they are also useful in terms of security.
By employing a motion sensor that automatically
lights up when a person approaches, you will know
when someone stands at the front door. Since
burglars fear that their presence will be obvious, this
is a simple and highly effective security measure.
Also, nighttime lighting is more dazzling than
expected, and by using a motion sensor, there is no
need to worry about unnecessarily illuminating the
surrounding houses.

When choosing lighting, pay attention to design.

Highly used downlights make the porch look neat
and have the advantage of being easy to clean
because they do not protrude. Bracket lights
mounted on the porch wall are often elaborate in
design and can add an accent of interest to a simple
porch. Depending on the type, they can also
illuminate a large area, providing light when getting
in and out of the car or riding a bicycle home.

3-7. Security measures

One final tip when planning a porch is to consider

"security and privacy measures". Aim for both
improved security and privacy. The key to planning a
front porch with security in mind is whether to use a
"closed" or "open" type of porch.

The "closed type", in which the entrance door is

completely hidden from view by a fence on the
street side, is easy to maintain privacy by blocking
the view of people walking on the street. This type is
also effective in terms of crime prevention, since the
inside of the house cannot be seen, but it also has
the weakness of hiding suspicious persons once
they enter the premises. In addition to the
aforementioned sensor lights, it is necessary to
make intruders feel uncomfortable by installing
surveillance cameras and using sound-producing
security gravel.

In the "open type," where the entrance door can be

seen from the street, the eyes of passersby can act
as surveillance cameras, as any suspicious activity is
immediately visible from the street. On the other
hand, it is difficult to ensure privacy. For example, the
entrance door and the street should be placed at
right angles to each other so that people cannot see
what is going on inside, and louvers or plants should
be used to blindfold people.

In the example shown in this photo, privacy is

ensured by the relationship between the entrance
door and the wall, even though it is open.

YADOKARI ( architect：Takanori Ihara )

4. Examples of failure
stories

Now that we have explained the seven tips, let's

look at some of the mistakes that we “could have
avoid by taking other choice".

The first is "installation of windbreaks". In windy

areas, windbreaks and other devices have been
considered to mitigate strong winds. Windbreaks
are as important today as they were in the past, and
they are still important in areas with strong winds.
Cold wind blows into the room from the front door,
sand comes in together, and the front door suddenly
shuts, all of which are failures "because we just
didn't install a windbreak...". Simply retracting the
front door to the side of the building can help, or
even installing a single wall upwind can reduce this
problem, so consider this if you are building a house
in a windy area.

The second is "the porch or eaves were too narrow".

Porches are multi-purpose places for people to
enter and exit, as well as for storing things, putting
benches for visitors, and so on. Making them narrow
often leads to the regret of "I should have made
them wider...". Similarly, if eaves are built wider, the
area that is kept dry from rain will be expanded,
making daily life easier, and in some cases, they can
be used for carports as well. On the other hand,
once built as a small eave, it is difficult to make it
larger later, and this is a point that often leads to
regrets of "if only it were bigger".

5. Examples of an
architect's front porch

Now that we have discussed the basics and tips for

front porches, we will conclude with a photo of a
very special front porch that was created by an
architect.

5-1. "Closed type" front porch for

both security and privacy

都島の家｜Miyakojima House ( architect：Yasumi

Taketomi )

The case study presented here is a front porch with

a perfect degree of privacy while blocking the view
from the street.

In addition to the consideration for security and

privacy, the use of materials is also very particular.
The colors of the entrance door and porch ceiling,
as well as the floor and porch walls, are unified in
subdued tones, creating a sense of luxury.

5-2. Unified front door and

convenient parking

川沿いのシルバートール ( architect：Hironobu Hosaka )

This house has one exterior wall covered with steel

plate, and the entrance door is also made of the
same material.

This is a good example of how an architect can be

commissioned to create a sense of unity, and even
the entrance door may be custom built to create a
sense of unity. At the same time, part of the
inorganic walls and the light leaking through the
windows create warmth. The protruding second
floor also serves as an eave for access to the street
and cars without getting wet, making this entrance
porch functional and at the same time well-
designed.


5-3. Entrance porch in harmony