Stilt houses are houses raised on piles over the surface of the soil or a body of water. Dating back to the Neolithic and the Bronze Ages, a wide variety of raised dwellings have been identified in a variety of forms worldwide, designed with several diverse and innovative methodologies. Stilt houses are well suited to coastal regions and subtropical climates. More than just a distinctive structural design resolution, they also protect against floods, maximize views and allow homeowners to build on rocky, steep, or unstable land. They also serve to keep out animals and vermin, provide ventilation from underneath, and minimize a house’s ecological footprint.
Additionally, wood is a construction material that is fully renewable, organic, and environmentally conscious. Wood stores carbon dioxide for a long time, making wooden buildings significantly more climate-smart than those built using fossil-based materials and processes. Built on stilts, wood-based construction is an exceptionally sustainable - and aesthetically stimulating - way to build.
The following 10 wooden stilt homes are examples of the creative potential that this unique typology can bring forth in contemporary architecture:
