Modern building techniques have enabled homes to be constructed in some of the most beautiful yet challenging locations.
In a new book titled Living on the Edge: Houses on Cliffs, author Agata Toromanoff looks at some of the most spectacularly designed homes built into cliffs.
Toromanoff said he was drawn to locations that feature seemingly “unbuildable” locations.
“In my books, I always focus on aspects that make architecture special,” Toromanoff told Architectural Digest.
“Living on the edge means constructing places in the most challenging locations, and, in many cases, in the middle of unspoiled nature.
“It is fascinating to study the latest examples and see how various architects around the globe come up with ingenious ideas and observe the way the discipline evolves.”
Toromanoff looked at 40 homes that were built into clifftops around the world, each with incredibly unique characteristics.
Bivacco Brédy by BCW Collective
One of the most unique homes profiled by Toromanoff is Bivacco Brédy by BCW Collective, in the Vertosan Valley in Italy.
Cantilevered over a rock slab, Toromanoff said the home is perfect for anyone who loves the mountains and needs a break from daily life.
The hut was designed to be both functional, flexible, and nonintrusive to the natural environment.
Alpine Shelter Skuta by OFIS Architects
Another impressive home is Alpine Shelter Skuta by OFIS Architects in Zgorne Jezersko, Slovenia.
Prefabricated, then placed on the mountain with a helicopter, the goal was to build a usable shelter at very high altitudes.
“The 12sq m Alpine Shelter Skuta looks incredible, immersed into the rocky peaks of the Slovenian Kamnik Alps,” Toromanoff said.
Casa MF by Alarciaferrer Arquitectos
Casa MF by Alarciaferrer Arquitectos looks out over the Calamuchita Valley in Argentina and makes use of two levels.
Toromanoff said the upper level is cantilevered over the mountains and is mainly devoted to communal spaces, while the lower level has bedrooms and a pool.
“This concrete house taking on strict geometric forms cannot be more different from its wild site,” he said.
Concrete House by Marià Castelló and José Antonio Molin
Built in 2021, Concrete House by Marià Castelló and José Antonio Molin, in the mountains in Port de la Selva, Spain, is also incredibly impressive.
“Pure concrete was selected to match the geological features as well as to make the structure robust and minimize the maintenance,” Toromanoff said.
Cliff House by Modscape
The second half of Living on the Edge examines innovative concept homes that have not yet been built.
Toromanoff said Cliff House by Modscape “is their theoretical response to clients who have approached them in search of a project dedicated to extremely challenging coastal plots”.
If constructed, the home would span five floors and feature incredible ocean views.
