The decision to tackle an unusual building project led a Canberra family towards a pretty steep challenge.
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When Florian Falez purchased a site in Gordon to build a home it was one of the last remaining blocks due to the obvious problems it presented.
“They were the last ones left because the blocks are quite steep and normal people are smart enough to stay away,” he said.
“I was still interested in developing it because of the challenge.”
His daughter Veronika Lisman designed the home to make the most of the steep hill rather than try and force a residence onto the site in a more traditional manner.
Mr Falez said the plans came together because they worked with the slope and built from the bottom.
“We wanted to design something that would use the site in an interesting way but also use materials that were light and easy to get upstairs,” he said.
The three-bedroom home features three separate pavilions of living areas connected by stairs.
The large lounge/dining and kitchen/family rooms all run together and a large outdoor area provides views across the suburbs.
The use of Mega Anchors for the top levels of the home gives the impression parts of the house are floating on the hill, the owner said.
Mr Falez said while the bottom layer of the home was built with heavier materials the upper levels used timber frames with corrugated sheeting and a metal roof.
He said getting materials delivered and moved had been the greatest logistical challenge because the steepness of the block left them no-where to put anything.
The home was completed at the end of last year and will be auctioned on Wednesday, July 3.
Bidding is expected to start at $700,000 for 13 Slavin Place.
LJ Hooker Dickson sales agent Michael Rabey said people attending the open inspections for the home had been quite surprised by the design but were very impressed by the house – “unless they've got bad knees”.
He said he was only aware of one other similar design and that was built by the same family.
“They've just sort of walked the house up the hill,” Mr Rabey said.
“It's taking an extremely sloping site and maximising the livability of it through the use of stairs.”
