I also learned that you can’t just wipe down a site. Sites are messy and complex organic things. As I began to imagine the house's location on the site, I began to get my hands dirty during each visit. I brought along a shovel and marking tape, to start visualizing forms and shapes. Even though I didn't know anything about required setbacks, slope requirements or anything geotechnical, getting a shovel in the ground felt productive. The site would later be professionally surveyed (notice the silver tags on the trees). Before much of the initial building site was prepped, I remember thinking how flat it all seemed—but upon reviewing the actual survey and contours, I realized we were actually dealing with some challenging slope issues. Photo 8 of 17 in Building the Maxon House: Week 3 by Lou Maxon

Building the Maxon House: Week 3

8 of 17

I also learned that you can’t just wipe down a site. Sites are messy and complex organic things. As I began to imagine the house's location on the site, I began to get my hands dirty during each visit. I brought along a shovel and marking tape, to start visualizing forms and shapes. Even though I didn't know anything about required setbacks, slope requirements or anything geotechnical, getting a shovel in the ground felt productive. The site would later be professionally surveyed (notice the silver tags on the trees). Before much of the initial building site was prepped, I remember thinking how flat it all seemed—but upon reviewing the actual survey and contours, I realized we were actually dealing with some challenging slope issues.