Five Contemporary Cliff-Top Houses
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Glass barriers at Fall House enclose an ocean-facing terrace.
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Perched on a rocky bluff in California’s Big Sur region, this gorgeous copper-and-glass vacation aerie by San Francisco–based Fougeron Architecture overlooks the Pacific Ocean 250 feet below. The residence, dubbed Fall House, comprises two rectangular volumes, connected by a glass corridor that houses a library and den.
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Copper-clad Fall House has steps leading down to the edge of the cliffside property.
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The living room of Solo House occupies a space along the perimeter of the house, where floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors open to the elements and capture sweeping views of the surrounding hills.
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Designed by Chilean architecture firm Pezo von Ellrichshausen, Solo House is one of a series of prototypical residences in Spain’s Matarranya region, south of Barcelona. (2013 AD Innovator architect Sou Fujimoto and 2012 Innovator firm Johnston Marklee are among the other designers completing work here.) A two-story pedestal acts as an entry, while living spaces occupy the upper structure—shown here glowing lanternlike in the night. A central, open-air courtyard includes only a terrace and pool.
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Picture windows inside Tula House frame views across the Strait of Georgia and to the Pacific Ocean beyond.
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Steel rods inserted into a precipice brace Tula House, which cantilevers off a site on Quadra Island. Patkau Architects designed the home to make a minimal impact on the land.
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X House’s enigmatic shape creates unconventional interiors, like this corridor (right) and kitchen/dining area (left), which come to a sharp point.
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Sublimely simple, the pine-and-steel Elizabeth House in Tunquén, Chile, created by Santiago-based Más Fernández Arquitectos, graces the rugged coast south of Valparaíso. The house combines an enclosed volume with an outdoor terrace that offers dizzying sea views.
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The aptly named X House, devised by architects at Cadaval & Solà-Morales, uses its quirky shape to provide privacy on a tight lot near Barcelona surrounded by neighboring dwellings. In another twist, the garage and entry level occupy the upper floor; the rest of the house, including a double-height living room, is downstairs.