The L-shaped secondary building perches over a craggy escarpment. It offers the best vantage point for taking in the moss-planted roof, forest, and ocean.

Located on a steep site with limited suitable building ground, the firm decided to cantilever the home over the hillside, which has the effect of helping the structure blend in with the landscape.

Occupying a footprint of just 110 square feet, the studio finds smart ways to maximize space. Central to this undertaking is the studio’s cantilever, which appears to float over the stream. The cantilever affords the studio more internal volume, while occupying no greater footprint below.

The front door is tucked under a cantilevered terrace.

Radamés “Juni” Figueroa lived in his art project tree house, made from found materials, for two fortnights, as part of his artist residency at La Practica at Beta-Local. "The Practice" is an interdisciplinary program of research and production focusing on art, architecture, and design, with an emphasis on collaboration.

The cedar-clad front facade features one of the home’s defining design elements: a cantilevered gable that appears to float over the garage. The project is composed of two unique forms, divergent in convention but complementary in execution. A traditional gable, simplified and modernized, sits next to a striking modernist cube. A custom entry gate fabricated by Dovetail’s metal shop and a steel privacy fence add color to the front elevation.

The cantilevered deck juts out from the home. “You really feel like you’re floating,” Harnkess says.

The cantilevered main floor creates space for bracken fern and other indigenous vegetation to flourish.

The lower level is covered in traditional red brick, while the upper level consists of coil-coated aluminium sheet with large glass panes.

At night, the exterior is lit with small LED bulbs for minimum impact. Steps are carved directly into the mountain landscape, leading visitors into one of the home’s two main entrances.

The house cantilevers out over the landscape for unimpeded views. “It’s canted wall defines the main entrance and creates a covered space for unpacking and packing—a familiar family ritual,” Howat says.

The cantilevered sleeping loft posed a structural challenge. "The structure is simple, however we explored a number of options for supporting the cantilevered loft," Eerkes says. "But after comparing costs for large trusses versus a big glulam beam—including labor costs for construction of each—the simplicity of a two-foot glulam beam won out. The steel rod cross bracing provided lateral stability in the longitudinal direction."

The kitchen worktop is framed in iron, and functional wheeled storage fits perfectly underneath. The full-wall shelving system offers ample storage for dishware and cooking accessories.

Both the front door and garage are accessible from street level. The floor is cantilevered out over a concrete pile foundation and garden far below.

Keep Right To eliminate flex in the cantilevered stairs, Bernier placed the structural stringer off-center. “When you climb the stairs and hold the rail, you actually step closer to the inside edge,” he says. He also located the handrail against the wall to keep it from visually interrupting the living room. The custom metalwork is by Félix Lepage. felixlepagedesign.com Don't miss a word of Dwell! Download our FREE app from iTunes, friend us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter!

A cantilevered cabin designed by R D Gentzler blends into the forest, even as it hovers above a 20-foot drop-off. Its south face is almost entirely glass, but a roof canopy limits solar gain. “We sit on the deck all afternoon watching the trees, and the time just flies by,” says resident Maricela Salas.

The house cantilevers slightly over a concrete wall, adding a touch of lightness and drama to its approach. Stairs beside to the cantilever lead to the entrance. On the upper level, a bedroom and family bathroom look out through the windows of the cantilevered façade.

Cantilevered Canopy

Inside, the home immediately opens up with light and natural views. The cantilevered stairs leading to the first floor offer a dramatic focal point. The stairs, wrapped in natural oak, are anchored to the exposed concrete walls on one side, and bordered by a clear glass railing on the opposite side.

The Cardboard Cantilever Chair performs a bit of structural sleight-of-hand, creating a daring form out of a weak material.

Strata Bench for Landscape Forms It's hard to believe this sleek bench was fashioned from concrete. But according to designer Jess Sorel, a proprietary material blend and new molding technique gave him the freedom to play with the material. "I wanted to take the perceptions about what [concrete] should be and counter that," he said. "I wanted to create something with a visual edge and have it float like a cantilever. How do we push concrete so it's not a brutalist chunk of material, but instead something elegant?"

Stamp House (Cape Tribulation, Australia) Architect: Charles Wright Architects Category: House

The main staircase consists of simple oak treads that cantilever out from side walls sheathed in natural vertical board and are supported on the other side by a continuous grill-like railing truss.

A natural rock face supports the cantilevered addition from below, creating a fortress-like structure that sits lightly within the existing landscape. Neutral colors keep the home from standing out, while the glass reflects surrounding flora.

@ehrlicharchitects: Cantilevered kitchen - finding inspiration at Dwell on Design.

A cantilevered deck extends outward from the distinctive structure and toward nature.

Those costs were partially recouped by using knotted pine planks for the exterior.

Cantilevered Canopy

Cantilevered Canopy

The living room wing cantilevers 26 feet off the main structure.

Nestled in the cozy study, Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chair and Ottoman sit atop a Spinneybeck cowhide rug from Design Within Reach.

The residents splurged on double-height Marvin Integrity windows.

Mimicking the cantilever of the house, an outdoor shower just off the master bedroom stretches out gently toward the surrounding woods.

Open brickwork on the cantilevered playroom makes it easier for parents to hear what’s happening inside while also adding visual interest to the white walls.