Due to the topography of parts of the province of Málaga, many of the projects currently developed at Gonzalez & Jacobson Architecture are located on steep terrain. And when we refer to steep we mean abrupt slopes and large drops. In fact, it’s rare that the plots have virtually no slope. This terrain characteristic poses various challenges to consider when designing and building. Of particular note is the VISTA LAGO Real de la Quinta project, which is currently under construction and is a worthy example of housing on steep terrain.

Regarding the technical challenges, it is worth highlighting the extensive earthworks and excavation required, the need to include deep, stepped foundation systems with the need to use retaining walls to prevent landslides, the difficulty of designing comfortable access for both pedestrians and vehicles, and the increased risk of erosion and water infiltration, thus requiring the implementation of efficient drainage systems to avoid moisture and stability issues.

Regarding the economic challenges, the cost of construction is usually higher due to the containment, foundation, and access works, which increase the budget, along with the use of specialized machinery for excavating on slopes.

In addition to the challenges that building on this type of terrain can present, it also offers significant advantages. The views are generally incredible, providing greater privacy and being in a more authentic natural setting.

For the team of professional architects at Gonzalez & Jacobson, building on steep terrain is exciting and presents the challenge of how to connect the building to the terrain.  . We leave you with an example of this and how the building integrates into the terrain and surroundings.