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Collection by Diana Budds
Editor’s Pick

Daring Hillside Homes

Clinging to their precarious sloping lots, these houses rise to challenging building sites.

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Emre Arolat’s 2012 design for the Sancaklar Mosque outside Istanbul challenges the Turkish capital’s ubiquitous soaring domes and patterned minarets. Instead, the firm built the 13,000-square-foot mosque into the side of a hill and clad it in natural stacked slate.
Emre Arolat’s 2012 design for the Sancaklar Mosque outside Istanbul challenges the Turkish capital’s ubiquitous soaring domes and patterned minarets. Instead, the firm built the 13,000-square-foot mosque into the side of a hill and clad it in natural stacked slate.
“I’ve been all around the world, and whenever I come back here, I realize that the Pacific Ocean seen from those cliffs is the most beautiful view on earth,” says the resident of this house built into a hillside in Big Sur, California.
“I’ve been all around the world, and whenever I come back here, I realize that the Pacific Ocean seen from those cliffs is the most beautiful view on earth,” says the resident of this house built into a hillside in Big Sur, California.
While it was tempting to embed the cabin into the hillside, Balance Associates sought a smarter solution. By elevating the project on two concrete walls, the clients could avoid a costly foundation, improve their view of the landscape, and stay above the thick winter snowfall.
While it was tempting to embed the cabin into the hillside, Balance Associates sought a smarter solution. By elevating the project on two concrete walls, the clients could avoid a costly foundation, improve their view of the landscape, and stay above the thick winter snowfall.
On a scenic one-acre site in Inverness, California, Richardson Architects planted an artist studio in a hillside overlooking a coastal vista. The client, a painter who lives on the property, requested the addition be situated downhill from the main residence to create distance between work and home.
On a scenic one-acre site in Inverness, California, Richardson Architects planted an artist studio in a hillside overlooking a coastal vista. The client, a painter who lives on the property, requested the addition be situated downhill from the main residence to create distance between work and home.
The house Amanda Yates (with her partner, Adam Rose, and their baby, Awa) designed for her parents, David and Christine, occupies a hillside site with views over Maramaratotara Bay.
The house Amanda Yates (with her partner, Adam Rose, and their baby, Awa) designed for her parents, David and Christine, occupies a hillside site with views over Maramaratotara Bay.
There are two walkways that extend over the sloping hillside. The top-most walkway is the intended entrance.
There are two walkways that extend over the sloping hillside. The top-most walkway is the intended entrance.
#modern #prefab #home #newzealand #hillside #views Photo by Russell Kleyn
#modern #prefab #home #newzealand #hillside #views Photo by Russell Kleyn
Small House in an Olive Grove Geyserville, California The owners of this one bedroom house, designed by Cooper Joseph Studio and located on an agricultural property, wanted an energy-efficient building that utilized views of the surrounding valley and integrated with the rustic countryside. At a mere 850-square feet, the house is anchored into the steep hillside with a series of concrete retaining walls. The site strategy incorporates cascading decks embracing the slope, relating the inside and outside at every level. Photo by Elliot Kaufman.
Small House in an Olive Grove Geyserville, California The owners of this one bedroom house, designed by Cooper Joseph Studio and located on an agricultural property, wanted an energy-efficient building that utilized views of the surrounding valley and integrated with the rustic countryside. At a mere 850-square feet, the house is anchored into the steep hillside with a series of concrete retaining walls. The site strategy incorporates cascading decks embracing the slope, relating the inside and outside at every level. Photo by Elliot Kaufman.
Designed to receive afternoon shade from a stand of mature oaks, the courtyard house opens to a hillside meadow and upper pool terrace with a vegetable garden.
Designed to receive afternoon shade from a stand of mature oaks, the courtyard house opens to a hillside meadow and upper pool terrace with a vegetable garden.
Now home to a hillside resort town, the lake of Valle de Bravo was formed in 1946, in one of president Miguel Alemán’s hydroelectric dam projects. Casa Ia was named for the architect’s first child and planned with lake views as a primary objective.
Now home to a hillside resort town, the lake of Valle de Bravo was formed in 1946, in one of president Miguel Alemán’s hydroelectric dam projects. Casa Ia was named for the architect’s first child and planned with lake views as a primary objective.
The rear facade is walled in glass and faces the sloping hillside.
The rear facade is walled in glass and faces the sloping hillside.
The Hillside Residence by Scott Lee of SB Architects in conjunction with Arcanum Architecture is in Mill Valley.
The Hillside Residence by Scott Lee of SB Architects in conjunction with Arcanum Architecture is in Mill Valley.
The Kingston house remains unobtrusive and well camouflaged on its hillside site despite the architects’ use of modernist geometry. The outer cladding is simply plywood stained with dark Madison oil.
The Kingston house remains unobtrusive and well camouflaged on its hillside site despite the architects’ use of modernist geometry. The outer cladding is simply plywood stained with dark Madison oil.

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