II know this is an old thread and you are probably well underway, just realised the date :-( But I would try to make a private courtyard off the ensuite and move the bath to the window overlooking this area. Would probably have to turn the WIR sideways and redo bedroom entry, I would switch dining room with kitchen & laundry too with study at rear of media room looking out to courtyard with possible access from kitchen & laundry. Maybe move powder room to exterior wall too next to study & Bed 3 bathroom turn sideways with robes behind bathroom, may improve bedroom size. Then Media to room add corner sliding doors as in this great debate on Houzz https://www.houzz.com.au/discussions/media-rooms-in-or-out-dsvw-vd~3149173 You can then open to living space if wanted - gains air/light/breeze & functionality. Kitchen gains wall for high cabinets and you could include a servery/hatch to media room. :-)

There are hundreds of suggestions that can be made on how to update, renovate and re-design a layout to make it functional for you and allow it to respond well to the built environment. Engaging an architect or building designer at this stage may not be something you're willing to do, as spending money for plans on a house you don't own would not be the ideal situation. The issue with this is that the design phase of a project takes a lot of time and consideration. My best advice would be to play around with the plans and create some sketches, whether online or on paper. If you are happy with the possibilities then buy the property. Any house can be transformed, but whether or not you are satisfied with the transformation is a personal choice only you can make.

Image 2 represents a more tropical way of life (seen in Bali, Vanuatu, Java) where different buildings 'join' to form a house. Great for that lifestyle...also seen concepts as pods joined into a home. I like that it is pushing boundaries of what we think is house design! Suitable for multi-generational family but needs horizontal space compated to Image 1 (typical current design).

Hi Doug Sorry, but my first question is why are you commencing construction without the engineering a) resolved and b) approved? If it has been approved then it is a variation and you are quite within your rights to question the engineer as to why the changes are now being put forward compared to the original approved drawings and what are the alternatives. If he has made a change to the original approved design then there needs to be a very good reason he hasn't issued revised drawings to both you and the drafty before sending anything to the fabricators. If he has sent revised drawings then I would be asking some very hard questions of my drafty. If it has not been approved and is being done on the fly then this method of construction is fraught with danger both from an approval and $$$$ perspective by proceeding without a fully resolved design. Your draftsman should be integrating the engineering into their drawings and discovering any clashes BEFORE final drawings are released for approval by the local authority and working around any issues. If there is an approval in place then there has to be engineering drawings around. Additionally, I certainly wouldn't be sending any drawings from an engineer direct to fabricators without them having correlated with the architecturals and without the drafty being in the loop. There is a breakdown somewhere that needs to be fixed otherwise it is going to cost. If i recall correctly, this is a floating concrete cantilevered floor? I would be surprised if anyone on here is going to be able to offer an engineering solution without seeing the whole design and/or loads. In truth, I would be having a chat with your engineer and see why the change or engage him to find a solution to what you now have. I would also be putting aside the design priority and focusing on what is going to work from the engineering perspective. That is the priority for this type of build. There are always ways to accommodate protrusions by making them a feature or covering them with a false facade/beam. Would need to see elevations to offer suggestions. As to the height I would suggest you post some sections of the whole room with elevations. Cheers