Stilt Houses: 10 Reasons to Get Your House Off the Ground
Stilt houses date to prehistoric times and can be seen in a variety of forms worldwide. New about them are the innovative and diverse ways in which they are being designed and built. Stilt houses are well suited to coastal regions and subtropical climates. They protect against floods, maximize views and allow homeowners to build on rocky, steep or unstable land. They also keep out animals and vermin, provide ventilation under the house and minimize a house’s footprint. Here are 10 houses on wooden, steel or concrete posts or pillars that will help you understand the reasons to consider taking your house to the next level by building on stilts.
1. To build on a sloping suburban site. This neat one-bedroom studio in Brisbane, Australia, is raised above the ground on steel posts. Considering the potential for rain in the region, and the home’s site on a sloped suburban hillside, elevating the house on stilts made sense to reduce flooding, water damage and weakening of the house’s foundation. Its position higher up in the trees allows a beautiful outlook from the house.
2. To build on an unstable foundation. On a sandy dune in Fraser Island, Australia, this stilt house makes the most of sea views. The wooden poles are driven deep into the soil below the sand, anchoring the house to the ground and ensuring maximum stability.
A curved roof mimics this slope, while the platforms upon which the house is built imitate the deck of a yacht or cruise ship.
3. To build on a steep coastal site. This two-bedroom vacation house sits on a steep coastal site overlooking the scenic Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia. While the house follows the slope of the land, steel posts elevate it. This allows for a minimal footprint on the ground and magnificent views from the house.
Read more Stilt Houses: 10 Reasons to Get Your House Off the Ground
1. To build on a sloping suburban site. This neat one-bedroom studio in Brisbane, Australia, is raised above the ground on steel posts. Considering the potential for rain in the region, and the home’s site on a sloped suburban hillside, elevating the house on stilts made sense to reduce flooding, water damage and weakening of the house’s foundation. Its position higher up in the trees allows a beautiful outlook from the house.
2. To build on an unstable foundation. On a sandy dune in Fraser Island, Australia, this stilt house makes the most of sea views. The wooden poles are driven deep into the soil below the sand, anchoring the house to the ground and ensuring maximum stability.
A curved roof mimics this slope, while the platforms upon which the house is built imitate the deck of a yacht or cruise ship.
3. To build on a steep coastal site. This two-bedroom vacation house sits on a steep coastal site overlooking the scenic Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia. While the house follows the slope of the land, steel posts elevate it. This allows for a minimal footprint on the ground and magnificent views from the house.
Read more Stilt Houses: 10 Reasons to Get Your House Off the Ground
