In these homes, architects are informed by the surrounding topography when deciding upon a home’s orientation and design, deploying various devices, including floor to ceiling windows and rooftop terraces, to maximise sight lines. From oceanfront Greek villas to the raw beauty of the Scottish Highlands, we’re taking a world tour via the ELLE Decoration archives and revisiting the houses that make the most of an incredible location.
The converted barn with a bucolic countryside location
This former barn outside of London was brilliantly reimagined by Hutch, an architecture and interiors firm, into a serene retreat that enjoys sweeping views across the landscape. Meadow-like planting reminiscent of that by Piet Oudoulf surrounds the home, with its larch-timber roof that’s a modern nod to the vernacular of nearby thatched cottages. Floor to ceiling glazing throughout the property ensures you can drink in those views from any vantage point.
The Cape Town villa that overlooks the sea
Perched at the foot of Lion’s Head mountain in Cape Town with sweeping seaside vistas, locations don’t get much more dramatic than this villa’s. Designed by Marlon Leggat and inspired by the whitewashed architecture of the Greek islands, the home makes the most of uninterrupted ocean views – this nook with an upholstered bench looks straight across to Robben Island.
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The LA home that takes in the city skyline
‘People covet the homes overlooking the city, but from the other side you get these expansive hillside views with this remarkable light. It’s 10 times better.’ This Beverly Hills home, designed by architect David Montalba, is located in an area subject to certain stipulations including a ban on structures taller than 4.26 metres, in order to preserve those all-important views. The house’s layout has a gentle rhythm to it, featuring long sight lines into the landscape broken by a series of internal garden courtyards that offer a connection to nature away from the eyes of close neighbours.
The Greek holiday home with island views
Al fresco dining doesn’t get much more beautiful than perched on a terrace overlooking the Aegean. The Greek holiday home of design trendsetter Paola Navone, designed by Greek architect Yorgos Zaphiriou, is reminiscent of the traditional Hellenic island architecture. It is constructed from a number of staggered cube-shaped structures, which create a series of secluded open terraces that enjoy incredible island views.
The Ibizan villa with panoramic sea views
‘We aimed to design a house that could be gently integrated into the surroundings.’ When designing this modern take on an Ibizan villa Patricia Urquiola took inspiration from the contours of the surrounding landscape, with roof terraces dotted with loungers and low tables positioned to make the most of the unique light and 360-degree views of land and sea.
The Highland home with dramatic panoramic vistas
‘The huge windows allow for the feeling of living within the view, with its ever-changing skies, stolid mountains and that stretch of loch, breathtaking in its stillness.’ Designer Jill McNair and her husband commissioned Jill’s school friend, architect Kirsty Lees, to design this Highland retreat. Inspired by memories of childhood holidays around Scotland, the palette of those rain soaked vistas informed the design of the home.
The lakeside home with a truly tranquil setting
This modernist wood-clad home is perched on the edge of a man-made lake in Oxfordshire. Designer Katie McCrum embraced the waterside location by reflecting the colours of the lake in the palette and using earthy, tactile materials. ‘We chose reflective surfaces to mimic the play of light on water, and natural textures like rattan that nod to the vegetation outside,’ she says.
The architectural cabin with waterfront views
Located on a one-acre waterfront plot in Halfmoon Bay, British Columbia, architect Patrick Warren and his husband Kevin built this sweeping modern cabin as a retreat from city life in Vancouver. Making the most of the views was integral to the home’s orientation and structure; the best sight line of the nearby lighthouse became the living room, while the dining room, oriented to the south, is located to catch the sunrise from the east.
The roof terrace that overlooks a Greek island
Accessed by a metal staircase, this rooftop terrace is not just about the view, but also the link it created with the town and the festivities of the island, Kimolos. Adorned with strings of party lights, or girlanda, more commonly seen on boats and restaurant terraces, it presents a joyful face to the world that hints at the playful, positive rooms within.
The iconic mid-century home with a viewing platform
Designed in the 1950s by American architect John Lautner, a pupil of Frank Lloyd Wright, Silvertop house is a modernist landmark. Perched on a sloping hill overlooking LA’s Silver Lake district, the home is synonymous with innovative engineering, including Lautner’s first-ever infinity pool and the ‘hawk’s nest’ – an external glass viewing platform accessed via a step ladder, that now offers an expansive panorama of the man-made lake and cityscape below.
