Architect's Toolbox: Connecting Home and Ground
The foundation of meaningful design lies at the point where home meets land
Houzz Contributor. My name is Bud Dietrich and I am an architect located in the Tampa Bay area of Florida. I am licensed to practice architecture in Illinois, Florida, New Jersey & Wisconsin and I am a certificate holder from the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB). Since 1996 I have worked from my home office and provide full architectural services exclusively to the single family residential market. My passion is to transform my clients' houses into their homes. I strive to have the "new" home accommodate my clients' lives without fighting them at every junction. I look to add curb appeal to encourage a beautiful streetscape. And I design any addition to look and feel like it has always been there.
Our projects have won numerous design awards as well as having...
Houzz Contributor. My name is Bud Dietrich and I am an architect located... More »
Homes connect to the earth in different ways. Some burrow and anchor themselves into the ground. Others gently touch down in the most minimal way. Some seem to glide along the surface, appearing as if they can slide to and fro.
What do these connections say about how we live? Does your home appear to be permanently anchored to its spot or does it seem as if it's ready to move on? Or does it appear to fall into both categories, creating tension between the two?
Establishing the way a home is connected to the ground goes well beyond technical, structural concerns and speaks to how we understand our relationship to the earth. Let's look at some of the possibilities.
What do these connections say about how we live? Does your home appear to be permanently anchored to its spot or does it seem as if it's ready to move on? Or does it appear to fall into both categories, creating tension between the two?
Establishing the way a home is connected to the ground goes well beyond technical, structural concerns and speaks to how we understand our relationship to the earth. Let's look at some of the possibilities.
Floating on the surface. A houseboat in Vancouver, B.C., floats along the surface of the water, able to move simply by weighing anchor and letting go of the lines.
Gliding on the surface. A home doesn't need to be on water to project a sense that it sits lightly on the ground. Bringing the lawn directly to the edge and eliminating the ubiquitous foundation plantings creates the impression that this home can slide around.
Anchored to the ground. Some homes appear to be solidly anchored to the earth, rising up as an extension of the ground. Certainly, a sloped site and a stone foundation reinforce this approach.
A platform established with a rock base also seems firmly anchored to the ground.
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by Fallingwater
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| Both floating and anchored. Frank Lloyd Wright was a master at creating homes that floated above the earth while being anchored solidly in place. This duality was never more wonderfully accomplished than at Fallingwater. |
by Hufft Projects
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Using the earth as a mirror. The main volume of this house sits above a plinth that negates the sloping site while being reflected in the nearby water. The darkly colored plinth recedes and almost disappears, creating the illusion that the home hovers above it all.
Gently touching down. The International style of architecture exemplified designs that merely touched down on small columns, or piloti, rather than having the entire mass of the house anchored to the site. The illusion is that the structure is only temporarily with us.
Ready to raise the gangway and take flight, this house, like many modernist designs, appears poised to embark on its voyage. All that's needed are passengers to board.
Stepping down. A sloping or even flat site can be terraced to create an easy and gradual transition from the house to the earth. This is especially useful when you want multiple outdoor spaces and the property is large enough to accommodate the terracing.
See more ways designers have addressed sloped lots
See more ways designers have addressed sloped lots
Foundation plants. Say you don't want to see the home's connection to the ground. Simply install low plantings that hide the juncture of house and earth.
Transition between trees and field. This linear home, which picks up on the colors of the field while including an emphasis on vertical elements that respond to the trees, creates a transitional element that connects to both.
Contrast between earth and sky. Neither a part of the earth nor the sky, a white box sits at the rise of a hill to create a middle ground and contrast between nature and humanity.
More:
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High Style for Real Life
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More:
Roofs Connect Earth and Sky
High Style for Real Life
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Comments
Elaine M. Johnson Thanks for posting this Bud_I once heard it said that in a perfect world the Landscape Architect would hire the architect! Only to underscore the importance of how the house, building, etc. should look like it grew there. It is so disconcerting to see the homes in my area that are built with no regard to their siting or the "genius" of the site. Then we as landscape professionals are called in to fix it! Of course in some cases they have run out of $ at this point. I am a firm believer in the team approach from the get go with the landscape professional consulted from the very beginning. We tend to address the "big picture" and can give another perspective to consider. 
15 months ago · Like
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writerinfact What a truly eye-opening ideabook! Thank you. I don't think I look at houses in quite the same way, but I can see most of what you showed and explained. I suppose I'm someone who doesn't really care what the car looks like, because I'm inside it, driving! Just never really thought about different house-earth connections.
11 months ago · Like
Ideabook published on March 22, 2012.
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