SubscribeSign In
Collection by Luke Hopping

King of the Hill: 6 Homes Built Into Bluffs

With cantilevers and stilts, these crafty homes recline into their sharply sloping lots.

View 6 Photos
A supposedly impossible site was the perfect plot for Hale (pictured) and Edmonds, who were searching for some sort of break that would afford them the chance to build their own home. Stilting the house over the steep hill gives them direct access to nature while still being located just a ten-minute drive from downtown Seattle.
A supposedly impossible site was the perfect plot for Hale (pictured) and Edmonds, who were searching for some sort of break that would afford them the chance to build their own home. Stilting the house over the steep hill gives them direct access to nature while still being located just a ten-minute drive from downtown Seattle.
A promenade, playfully dubbed “the wharf,” offers a spot to catch morning rays. Photo by: Paul McCredie
A promenade, playfully dubbed “the wharf,” offers a spot to catch morning rays. Photo by: Paul McCredie
He worked around existing oak and eucalyptus trees for the new building, and retained the vernacular of an original barn, at right, where Frankel hosts concerts. Check out MVRDV's Balancing Barn.
He worked around existing oak and eucalyptus trees for the new building, and retained the vernacular of an original barn, at right, where Frankel hosts concerts. Check out MVRDV's Balancing Barn.
The sunny side of the home is clad in cedar weatherboards and features sleeping quarters on the upper level with living spaces below.
The sunny side of the home is clad in cedar weatherboards and features sleeping quarters on the upper level with living spaces below.
While the floor plans are identical, the two story cantilevered houses are offset and have subtle differences in size and height that, along with frosting on some of the windows, enable the owners to retain privacy.
While the floor plans are identical, the two story cantilevered houses are offset and have subtle differences in size and height that, along with frosting on some of the windows, enable the owners to retain privacy.