What are houses in the mountains made of? Beautiful houses on the slopes of the mountains

Everyone knows that centenarians are often found among the inhabitants of mountainous areas. Do you want to count yourself among them? Then you need to urgently acquire real estate in the mountains in order to enjoy clean air and charming views from the window.

Having a house in the mountains is great, but is it better to just rent it for a few months of the year? Let's deal with this pressing issue together with the Dream House website. In this article, we will not only consider the advantages and disadvantages of living in the mountains, but also see interesting architectural objects where you can go on an excursion.

House in the mountains: advantages and disadvantages

The most important advantage of living in the mountains can be considered crystal clear air, not polluted by exhaust gases and waste from industrial enterprises.

The second advantage is amazing views, opening from, especially if your house is located in the mountains near the lake. Steep slopes covered with lush vegetation, clear and glassy water in the lake, as well as merging with nature and serenity, which cannot be expected in a bustling city. Beautiful landscapes allow you to escape from your sometimes not very pleasant thoughts and think about the eternal. It is these desires that push our compatriots to move to the mountains at least for a couple of months a year.

Modern house by the lake in the mountains

However, life in a house in the mountains allows not only to admire beautiful views, but also engage outdoor activities. IN winter time it's a ride on skiing, and in the summer - mountain tourism. An excellent choice for dynamic people who prefer passive lying on the beach active hikes By highlands.

adjacent area, Mountain peaks and the house itself in the mountains is covered with fluffy snow in winter - and this is also worth a look! Is it not here that thousands of citizens dream of spending their Christmas holidays? So it's good in the mountains not only in summer, but also in winter.

Among the shortcomings can be noted the need to adapt to life high in the mountains. As a general rule, the higher we climb the mountains, the more difficult it becomes to breathe as the oxygen content decreases. Also strong winds V mountainous areas can significantly spoil general impression about vacation or life in the mountains. Of the subjective disadvantages, it should be noted the absence developed infrastructure(maybe not even close grocery store or an emergency room medical care), and in some cases the elementary benefits of civilization (light, gas, water).

What are the difficulties associated with building a house in the mountains

The construction of houses in the mountains has a number of features, among all types they are considered one of the most difficult projects. First of all, the foundation must be built on solid rock, i.e. you may have to go deep into the ground. Next, you need to check the proximity of groundwater, which can erode the foundation and bring many other troubles to the building. Then it is desirable, because in winter period the wind here is especially cold. Well, it would not be superfluous to think about backup power sources in case of a power line break, and if the house is not electrified, then purchase autonomous power plants that will provide an opportunity to use one of the main benefits of civilization without hindrance.

What types of construction are used to build houses in mountainous regions

IN Lately it became fashionable to build, who came to us with alpine mountains. This is a house of a combined type, in which the first floor is made of capital materials (stone, brick), and the second floor is made of wood (timber, log). This is done mainly in order to facilitate the construction of the house. The brick and wooden chalet house is less heavy, which is very important for mountainous areas, where the likelihood of landslides is quite high.

Interior of mountain houses

As for the interior design of a house in the mountains, the decoration, as a rule, mainly uses natural materials - wood and stone. Wooden panels on the walls, or parquet on the floor, and the surrounding area with stone or brick and cozy furniture are the main tenets of the design of mountain houses.

In addition, opening beautiful landscapes deserve to have a terrace in the house, which in summer time will serve as recreation.

House in the mountains - bedroom interior with large windows

If we talk about interior styles, then the houses in the mountains are equipped mainly in a rustic style. And, as you know, it is famous for its simple forms, the absence of pretentious and conspicuous finishes, natural materials in the design of living space. But, despite belonging to this style, the interior of the house in the mountains perfectly combines rustic simplicity and modern functionality. Convenience, coziness and the availability of modern technology perfectly coexist on the same territory, making life easier for the owners. Also, a house in a mountainous area, like no other, accepts, ideally fitting into the surrounding space.

Unique architectural elements - houses in the mountains

And finally, let's see interesting mountain houses that deserve the attention of tourists. You may want to see them with your own eyes.

Beautiful houses in the mountains are not uncommon, but have you seen houses built into the mountain? A striking example such an incorporation of living space into the ground is Villa Vals in Switzerland, harmoniously blending into nature and environment. The mountain itself serves as the walls and roof of this house, and the facade is lined with natural stone, which is, as it were, a continuation of the mountain. So, if there were no windows and doors, this building could hardly be identified as residential at first sight. Despite the fact that the owners have to live in a "dugout", the interior of this house is decorated very modern.

House in the mountains in winter - Villa Vals

Villa Vals - unusual house in grief

Here's another one unique object architecture - a house-hill in Poland, which fits perfectly into hilly area. According to the architect, he was so impressed by the green hills with an abundance of vegetation that he decided to integrate the house into the hill and make it part of natural landscape. How often have you seen grass growing on the roof of a house? And in this house, the roof is covered with grass growing in real soil, which was removed from the ground cover. On the one hand, it turns out that the house is not in harmony with the eco-space, and on the other hand, the grass on the roof helps to regulate the heat balance of the room.

Do you have the courage to visit a house in the mountains, located on a cliff or on its top, such as a house on a cliff in Spain? Sitting on a cliff with a cup of coffee as the raging waves crash below is not an activity for the faint of heart. And yet, at the moment, these buildings in the city of Cuenca are local attractions, gathering hundreds of tourists every day.

In our selection - five modern houses built in the mountains.

In the bustle of cities and in the streams of cars
We are returning - there is simply nowhere to go!
And we go down from the conquered peaks,
Leaving in the mountains, leaving your heart in the mountains.

"Farewell to the mountains" by Vladimir Vysotsky - the unspoken anthem of climbers, the song after which the era began mountain tourism in our country. " Better than mountains there can only be mountains," radio operator Volodya sang in the 1967 film "Vertical".

Architects also love mountains - for them this is a professional challenge, since building a house on the rocks is twice as difficult as on the plain.

RBC Real Estate has compiled a selection of five modern houses built in the mountains.

Nest on the rock

Many tracts of land on our planet are considered uninhabitable. For example, no one lives on sheer cliffs, however ...

Australian architects Modscape Concept came up with the concept of a residential building that can be placed on any cliff. A residential building clings to a rock and hangs over an abyss - the house is clearly not for those suffering from acrophobia (an obsessive fear of heights). The project is called Cliff House, which can be translated as "House over the cliff."

The architects were inspired to create the concept by ordinary shells that cling to boats and ships.

"House over the cliff" - modular, its number of storeys can vary from one level to ten. The floors are connected by an elevator and stairs. As the architects from Modscape Concept assure, such a house will be held securely in place with engineered steel pins.

Japanese minimalism

The house in the mountains of Yatsugatake was designed by the Japanese bureau Kidosaki Architects Studio. An exceptional feature of the building is a panoramic view of the classic Japanese landscape. The house literally hangs over the valley, almost half of the house is above the hill.

One side of the mountain cottage is supported by V-shaped columns. It has practically no external walls in the classical sense, everything is built of glass. A part of the house is also a wooden deck-terrace located along the perimeter. The interiors are minimalist - no unnecessary items. There are not even curtains - however, they are not needed: the nearest residential areas are located several kilometers somewhere far below.

Photo: 45g photography - Junji Kojima via Designboom.com

My own mountain

There are few mountains in Holland, so local architects propose to build cottages that would become "mountains". Rather, "hills".

The Denieuwegeneratie Forest Cottage project is a residential building, the appearance of which minimizes disturbance to the landscape. The house is integral part artificial hill. On one side - the south - the house is open to the maximum. northern part covers the "carpet" of the earth with grass and shrubs.

American scope

Architect Nick Tsontakis proposes a new way to use peaks rocky mountains in USA. The project of his house is a "flying spaceship" that "saddled" one of the hills in Arizona.

“I wanted to make the design of the house memorable and simple,” says Nick Tsontakis of the project. “In my opinion, the house is an organic extension of the local nature.”

"Two wings of the house surround the mountain from the north and south, - the architect continues, - and in the middle - real nature: rocks, stones and wild shrubs."

The house has six bedrooms, each of which has a panoramic view of the surroundings. On an American scale, the architect provided for the house and a large garage - for ten cars.

Now the mountain cottage is already being built; customers with a suitable site were found for the project. Construction is planned to be completed in 2015.

Photo: tsontakiarchitecture.com

Villa Vals

Villa Vals in the mountains of Switzerland is a joint project of the Dutch bureau SeArch and architect Christian Mülle.

The most striking thing about this stone house is fabulous panorama alpine mountains, opening through a wide elliptical opening on the hillside, which, in fact, is the first entrance to this extraordinary house. Another, alternative entrance, located next to the barn, leads residents and guests along an underground path.

So leave unnecessary disputes!
I already proved everything to myself -
Only mountains can be better than mountains,
Which have not yet been.

Prepared by Ignat Bushukhin

We are all used to the fact that at home we feel comfortable and protected. It's hard to say that, being in the rooms presented in this article, you can think that you are in complete security. And in general, I wonder how these architectural "creations" have not collapsed yet? Their creators are obviously talented people!

If you like to tickle your nerves, then go to any of the buildings in our today's selection - thrill you are provided!

1. Holman House, Australia

Its creator was clearly inspired by the work of Pablo Picasso. Block Jaggers swims over the sea.

2. Meteora Monasteries, Greece

Meteora means "suspended in the air" in Greek. There is no other name for this breathtaking monastic dwelling!

The monastery was founded in the 11th century and laid out on top of a sandstone tower without roads, amenities or any technology. By the way, they live there to this day.

3. The HemLoft, Canada

Looking almost like a dewdrop, this secret hideout is hung (somewhat illegally) on a steep slope in a tall hemlock stand in Whistler.

4. Castellfollit de la Roca, Catalonia

The building is located on a narrow basalt rock between the rivers Fluvià and Toronell. The emergence of the village is dated closer to the Middle Ages. Approximately 1,000 inhabitants still live there, occupying an area of ​​less than a square kilometer.

5. Cliff House, Calpe, Spain

The project of the residence belongs to the architect Fran Silvestre. This private house overlooks the Mediterranean Sea. It was built in a year using reinforced concrete slabs.

6. The Hanging Houses, Spain

Cuenca's Hanging Houses (Casas Colgadas) were built on a cliff overlooking the Huécar River over 500 years ago.

As you can see, standing on the railing of some of these wooden balconies, you can literally feel like you are in the air.

7. Sky High Treehouse, France

The structure is delicately balanced on a forty-meter pine tree. Your heart will be racing as you climb the stairs, but the scenery of the nearby Lake Geneva is well worth the tickle.

8. River House, Serbia

This small house on a rocky island in the middle of the Drina River was built by a group of boys in 1968 as their club.

The structure is currently owned and operated by the Bajina Basta Kayak Club.

9. Fallingwater, Pennsylvania

10. Stahl House, Hollywood Hills

In 1959, Buck Stahl bought a mountain lot overlooking Los Angeles for less than $14,000. He built his dwelling out of glass in order to look at the panoramas of the city below.

It took a while to find a smart enough architect. As a result, the house created by Pierre Koenig has become a real miracle of design!

11. Villa Amanzi, Phuket, Thailand

This impressive house located in a narrow gorge overlooking the azure sea. There, in an open pavilion, you can get an amazing massage.

12. Monte Rosa Hut, Swiss Alps, Switzerland

This building, which looks like a ship, was designed specifically for climbers going to the top of the glacier.

Resembling a shimmering ice crystal, the hut generates 90% of its energy needs from photovoltaic solar panels and solar thermal systems.

13. Socotra Island, Indian Ocean

This place is like another planet. The city simply causes dizziness, because it is erected on top of a coastal cliff.

It seems that the houses are part of the rock, and are compressed so that there is no road between them.

14. Takasugi-an Teahouse, Japan

There is nothing fictional here. This is a modern development of the architect Terunobu Fujimori.

This structure was erected on the tops of two chestnut trees carved from a nearby mountain. It is called "Takasugi", which means "tea house built too high". Perfection!

15. Fallen Star, San Diego

Yes, you are not mistaken, it really hangs from the side of the University of San Diego. This is a technical sculpture built as an addition to the Stuart Collection school.

Fallen Star is fully furnished.

16 Upside Down House, Poland

If the hanging building isn't enough for you, there's another one that's completely upside down. The hut was built by Polish businessman Daniel Czapiewski in the village of Szymbark. It is intended to show the communist era and the chaotic structure of the world.

17. Mirrorcube, Sweden

To be honest, you wouldn't even be able to tell this cube from the surrounding foliage.

It can only be reached by a 12-meter bridge. Those brave enough to travel to the Mirrorcube are rewarded with a double bed, a bathtub and a rooftop terrace.

18. “Just Enough Room” Island, Canada

Located in the archipelago of islands on the border with the United States. Now you understand why it is called "enough space".

19. Xuankong Temple, China

Presumably, one person built this temple one and a half thousand years ago. It still hangs above the river bed at a height of about 90 meters.

20. Balancing Barn, Suffolk

This is a very clever English design, created using an optical illusion.

21. UFO, Sweden

This tree-hung fantasy belongs to the same group of minds that created the Mirrorcube. Visitors must be prepared to enter unknown worlds… at least in your dreams!

22 HP Tree House, Australia

This magnificent building rises above the forest with a galvanized steel frame.

23. Nut House, Düsseldorf

This walnut house is supported by stilts. It is used as a playroom for the owner's three children and an occasional guest room.

built house

The house, built in a mountainous area according to the project of architects, combines in its appearance elements of organic architecture and alpine chalets. Thanks to this combination, the finished cottage did not just fit into the complex landscape. But it also became a harmonious part of it.

The layout, in addition to residential and utility rooms, includes:

  • spacious covered terraces on the second floor;
  • verandas for relaxing with awnings located in front of the house.

The architectural project is complemented by a large garage for several cars. Open pool with backlight, finished with natural marble. And a recreation area located near the pool.

Constructive decisions

The living area became the visual center of the house after construction. And adjoining it is a covered street veranda with stone columns. Additional attention to this part of the cottage is attracted by the residential area, which was formed by vaults of a steep pitched roof.

Bedrooms are located in the attic space. Below them is a recreation area on the second floor with access to a balcony. On the ground floor of the country house there are common rooms, utility and technical rooms. At the top level of the back of the building is a garage and an adjoining car park.

Along the perimeter of the second floor there are spacious terraces with wrought iron parapets and autonomous lighting. The terraces offer a panoramic view of the surrounding mountain landscape and the pool, located on the land. Panoramic French windows of the front facade open the house to the air and sunlight. And they create a feeling of unity of internal and external spaces.

Facade finishing

Decorating a house in the mountains is based on natural colors and natural textures. The main element of the facade decor - wild stone warm shades. It "duplicates" the color range of open mountain ledges and blends harmoniously with the natural landscape.

Along with wild stone, dark wood is used in the exterior decor. It adorns the perimeters of balconies, roof overhangs, window and door frames. crowns Vacation home covered with natural tiles.

Natural finishing materials emphasize the organic architecture of the finished project of a two-story cottage. And help the house fit into the natural landscape of the mountainous area.

Doesn't occur. But if there is construction on a slope, then the task becomes many times more complicated. Today, houses on the slope are popular. They are aesthetically more attractive and unusual in themselves. When deciding to build such a house, it is important to take into account many nuances. And first of all, remember that the layout of the room will also depend on the site.

Hillside house projects

Before you build a house on a slope, you need to correctly create a project. All further construction will depend on this. Even if the terrain has obvious flaws, they can be competently beaten and made into a landmark of the building. When creating a house project, you need to know what the slopes of the relief are:

  • A flat piece of terrain that has a slope of no more than 3%.
  • A relief with a small slope from 3 to 8%.
  • Terrain with an average slope of up to 20%.
  • Steep relief from 20%.

The optimal sites for construction work are options with a slope of 3 to 8%. But if the territory has a slope of more than 8%, then it is recommended to know the principles of construction on such an area. So, the projects of houses on a slope can be varied, it all depends on the area and the literacy of the architect.

Construction on a small slope

Building a house on a plot with a slope of 8 to 20% has its own characteristics. At first glance, the angle is small, but requires a special approach. In the design of such houses, it is necessary to provide for a floor of the room buried below ground level. It does not require a flat building site. In order to build a basement, part of the earth is cut out. It can be built together with the foundation. For houses on small slopes, the basement is simply irreplaceable. The material in its construction is the same as for the foundation. Mostly concrete blocks, monoliths, bricks are used.

Significantly expands the territory of the building and can be used as a garage, utility room or sauna. It all depends on the desire of the customer. If access is possible on a slope Vehicle to the basement, then this is a great solution for a garage. It is best to choose an uneven building site on dry and elevated terrain. This will help solve a number of problems with water disposal. It is advisable to equip the walls of the house with waterproofing material, especially where there is contact with the ground. It is also recommended to lay waterproofing under the foundation.

Building a house on a steep slope

Houses on steep slopes with a slope of more than 20% require a special approach. For this type of development, a special project is being created, which will take into account all the features of the area. Most of these houses have many tiers and terraces.

The design of such a building is attractive in that many rooms will have individual exits. And economic and non-residential premises will be posted on different levels.

A house on a mountain with terraces gives architects the opportunity to show all their imagination. The main task of such development is to transform the slope into several working surfaces. Buildings are placed on horizontal platforms, and connect them various steps. Terraces must be equipped with special props, they take on the entire load. Also, the terraced house has many possibilities. These rooms can be used as recreation areas, balconies and verandas.

Features of the foundation of houses on a slope

Modern construction allows you to build a foundation on any terrain with a different slope. Of course, the best site for building is a slope of no more than 3%. But if the house is on a mountain, then the foundation will be different:

  1. A slope of more than 8% requires the construction of a basement. The foundation will be tape type with waterproofing.
  2. Houses on slopes with a slope of more than 20% need a support base. The foundation will consist of stepped or screw type piles.

When you should take into account some of the nuances:

  • It is recommended to waterproof the basement floor, as it can be flooded. And if this happens, the consequences will be serious.
  • Thermal insulation must be present.
  • Drainage protection is necessary, this will prevent the foundation from destruction.

The foundation on the slope has both a load-bearing and an aesthetic function. It can be used as an additional room or, with the help of its unusual external design, give the building an original appearance.

Features of designing houses on a slope

Projects of houses on a slope are created so that the building is built from top to bottom. First of all, you need to start from the living space and attach various terraces with basement floors to it. It is important that the plan of the basement completely coincides with the layout of the walls of the first. Such a structure is load-bearing, and a large load will be placed on it. When planning the basement, it is recommended to follow safety rules. Do not arrange a boiler room in it and store items that can easily ignite. This can lead to a fire of the entire house.

A residential building on a slope is a very attractive prospect, especially if you have beautiful scenery.

But do not forget that when creating a project, you may encounter some difficulties:

  • Depending on the area finished project will need to be improved.
  • Due to the characteristics of the soil, problems may arise in the operation of special equipment.
  • It is recommended to accurately calculate and take into account all environmental factors.
  • Moisture that flows down the slopes can destroy the foundation, so it should be well waterproofed.

Benefits of slope houses

Projects of houses on a slope are complex, but at the same time they are distinguished by interesting design solutions. Such buildings have many positive aspects:

  • Design solutions and experiments with height differences.
  • Possibility to lay water supply at different levels. The lower tier with sewerage, on the upper floors - water supply.
  • Financial savings by building on uneven terrain.
  • Several exits and a terrace for relaxation, as well as the division of the house into zones.

Disadvantages of building houses on a slope

When faced with the construction of houses on slopes with a variety of slopes, you need to be aware of its shortcomings. And also prepare for all possible difficulties that may arise during the operation of the building.

So, the negative sides of houses on the slopes include:

  • Ground movements and landslides that can compromise the integrity of the foundation.
  • Difficulties in construction according to standard projects.
  • There is no uniform lighting in all rooms.
  • It is difficult to get to the house for people of advanced age.

For those who love nature and comfort, as well as interesting design solutions, a house on a slope is the best choice.