Drawing the light before the walls

In the north, light is scarce. That is why the first drawing we make of a house isn't the plan: it is a sun study, hour by hour, across all four seasons.

A model and a torch

We build a 1:50 card model and light it with a torch from the sun's real angles. It is crude, and it works better than any render when talking to a client.

One well-placed window is worth more than two big ones.

Often the conclusion is to remove windows, not add them: one opening fewer, better oriented, gives a brighter house that is easier to heat.