Multi-level house on a slope – “Stack House” is an innovative architectural model

Named the Stack House because of its innovative architectural building model, the modern four-story Los Angeles residence is a product of efforts to build on the steep but picturesque slopes. The award-winning architecture firm FreelandBuck, based in Los Angeles and New York, designed the 205 square meter multi-level house on the hill in collaboration with Urbanite Homes.

Given the specific site conditions, the work of the architects is of fundamental importance for the overall concept of the house. In contrast to the conventional houses that are built on the slope, the Stack House is embedded in the slope. This creates a closer relationship with the surrounding landscape. The vertically organized house, sloping into the slope, takes advantage of the subtle rotation of the rooms to create a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor areas on every level. From every floor you can enjoy a unique, unobstructed view of the San Gabriel mountains.

The residence initially impresses with its external facade, which consists of tailor-made boards and slats. These are painted in different shades of white and gray, so that the boards cast a constantly changing, strip-like shadow throughout the day. The cladding is organized in different patterns that give the house facade structure and depth.

The hillside house has a two-car garage and a medium-sized but fully functional unit. It is located on the second level and can be used as a home office. Like the main building, the outbuilding is clad with wooden boards and has a terrace and a storage shed. This residential unit is for the most part embedded in the main building and thus differs from the typical ancillary buildings in the city, which are generally separated from the main building or located in converted garages. In this attractive house on the hillside, the residential unit acts as a stopover on the way to the main house.

The primary living quarters are located on the third level. There are four separate rooms – dining area, kitchen, living room and study. On the top floor there are three bedrooms and two bathrooms. In the interior of the house, vaulted interior walls were built in, which create a great contrast to the straight angles of the building. The vaulted walls in the middle of the rooms allow the individual rooms to merge into one another and the view to glide undisturbed through the interior. A central staircase connects the living rooms with a terrace at the rear and the courtyard.

The interior is characterized by the color white. This makes the rooms appear light and airy. French oak floors and wooden elements give the interior a natural touch and spread warmth and comfort. In the kitchen, the marble worktops in combination with the black fittings, the pendant lamp and the chair legs create an elegant contrast.

In the bathroom, on the other hand, great accents are set with the bathroom fittings in gold. The elegant metal color gives the bright bathroom a touch of luxury. Modern bathroom furniture such as the free-standing bathtub, accompanied by natural materials, colors and fabrics, form a harmonious ensemble.

The specific construction of “Stack House” gives the designer the flexibility to let off steam creatively in the design of the house and at the same time to ensure a growing market for architectural designs in the area. The house on the slope is currently for sale and will soon be supplemented by another project by FreelandBuck.

* You can find more projects from the architecture firm FreelandBuck here