Rule of thumbRecommended
Outdoor connection from main living
BACK-DOOR-FROM-LIVINGDescription
Every house needs at least one direct exterior door from a main living space (kitchen, dining, family) to the back yard. A house with no back door is a defect, not a style.
Why this exists
Universal residential best practice. Without it, every grill out / yard chore goes through the front.
Categories
CirculationSite
Source
AIA Residential Knowledge Communityno manifest entry
Best practices for residential design (—)
Section: Compiled professional consensus
Published 2024-01-01 · last verified 2026-05-09
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
- Dining room sizing · DINING-ROOM-SIZE
- Mudroom sizing · MUDROOM-SIZE
- Half bath near public zones · HALF-BATH-NEAR-PUBLIC
- Stairs not from bedrooms · STAIRS-NOT-FROM-BEDROOM
- Hallway budget 6-12% of total · HALLWAY-BUDGET
Last reviewed 2026-05-09.