2. Embedding the house into the ground

Embedding the house into the ground helps integrate it better with the land than simply sitting it down on top of it. The home feels grounded and is more responsive to the terrain. It can sit lower to the ground if you locate programmed space that traditionally is on the 2nd-story level to the lower level that is buried in the hillside. This low-slung appearance is a great way to minimize the massing of the home as seen from the road or from elevations above.

However, with this approach comes increased excavation and foundation costs. You’re digging out more earth and hauling it away, and you need thicker foundation walls to retain the earth of the sunken house form.

Below are two examples of embedding the house in the ground.

You can also embed the house in the ground with a reverse floor plan. This works well if access is from above. In this case, you can organize the floor plan so that the main public spaces are on the upper level (where your front entry may be) and your private bedroom spaces are on the lower level. This gives your main living spaces the best view because they are higher up in the house. It may also help create a dramatic entry with a view.

Regardless of where access is, you could also do a terraced floor plan if space allows. In this strategy, you could stagger the floor levels, creating split levels or small changes in elevation. This works well if the goal is to create a meandering experience, to break up spaces without walling off rooms, or to better relate to the surrounding topography.

3. Floating the house above the ground

This approach raises the home on supports, whether on stilts, piers, or solid walls. The benefit of this approach is that you can minimize site disturbance with a smaller footprint. This can be especially important if you are trying to navigate large tree root structures, bedrock, or steep slopes.

With this strategy, you feel like you’re living in the trees since most of the programmed spaces are raised up on a higher floor level. You can also possibly see under the house clear through to the other side of the site depending on the floor plan. This is another way of connecting with the site visually.

4. Sticking out over the slope

Lastly, one final approach is cantilevering the home. You can anchor part of the home to the site and extent the other half out over the terrain. This creates dramatic overlooks and views of the surroundings for an immersive and exhilarating experience. However, it does come at a cost since there will undoubtedly be structural implications to think about. This approach could also minimize site disturbance and help avoid significant foundation expenses.

A Hybrid Approach

The above massing strategies are all viable options for building on sloped sites. The particulars of the site, design goals, and budget will all play a part in confirming which strategy or strategies are best.

Here’s one final thought on these strategies: It’s not uncommon to see two or more strategies for a custom home design on a sloped site. You could lift the home on piers and cantilever it out over site boulders. You could embed it in the earth on one side and stick it out on the other. You could terrace it across varying topographies where part of it is lifted above the ground and other parts are embedded.

Here are two projects we enjoy that combine two or more of the above strategies.

At YR Architecture + Design, we strive to create modern custom homes that integrate with their surroundings no matter the landscape or design approach. In our opinion, how the structure speaks to the land and the responsive design that the home takes creates a more authentic solution that’s timeless and fitting of its place.

If you’d like help creating a thoughtful, well-designed custom home on a sloping site and would like our help, get in touch with us today. We’d love to hear more about your project and discuss how we can help you.