Whether a gently rolling hill or rocky steep terrain, a sloped site provides a compelling setting on which to build a house that contrasts with ordinary flat lots. Unlike horizontal typography, where every structure lies at the same elevation, a slope allows for the rooflines of houses to stagger down the site, providing more expansive, uninterrupted viewpoints. But while a steep site comes with the advantage of panoramic vistas, it also presents challenges to architects. Since houses usually sit perpendicular to the site, architects must design the foundation to properly mitigate the angle of incline. The steeper the angle, the taller the foundation — which can sometimes lead to houses that look as if they’re propped up on a pedestal. Alternatively, the lower levels of houses can be dug into the land, which leaves half of the living spaces sitting below ground. Today, we see architects coming up with innovative solutions to building on slopes — such as designing structures that physically mimic the angle of incline. The following designs for sloped sites are anything but slippery: 8008 by Hiroyuki Arima, Fukuoka, Japan On a steep slope in Fukuoka, Japan, the 8008 house is composed of …
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