Houses that Perch

Because so many people want to live in California and there is only so much land (especially in the desirable coastal areas), houses are built in strange places, usually considered inappropriate for dwellings.

Throughout the world stilt houses are built over water and marshy or sandy land.
click images to enlarge
    

But in earthquake-prone California, houses are sometimes built in wildly optimistic places that seem to defy common sense. Usually called stilt houses, they are also called “perchers.” Have a look at the much photographed houses in Sherman Oaks, Cailfonia:

     

The ultimate expression of a stilt/percher house in California, or perhaps anywhere on the planet, is the house that was designed for Leonard Malin by Los Angeles architect, John Lautner in 1960.

Yes, they all survived miscellaneous earthquakes and high winds. Read the fine article about the house and Lautner in the Los Angeles Times and see more photographs here. The Wikipedia entry for John Lautner is here.

All said and done, an 8’ ladder is about as high as I go.