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Part 3 From the Ground Up
basement living area can be very pleas-
ant if it is well insulated and waterproof.
A disadvantage is that stairs must be
climbed to get anywhere in the house.
This can be a problem for small chil-
dren, people with disabilities, and older
people.
Split-Level
A split-level house has either three
or four levels. The levels can be arranged
in many ways, 6-22. The split-level was
developed for sloping lots, although it is
occasionally built on flat lots. fl
One advantage of a split-level house
is that traffic into the social, quiet, and
service areas can be separated easily.
Also, there are few stairs to climb to
get from one level to another. However,
getting from one level to another always
requires climbing stairs. Again, the
stairs may present a problem for indi-
viduals who are less physically agile.
Contemporary
Houses
Contemporary styles
are the current
or latest house designsbeingconstructed
today. Many of the styles refl design flect
features from the traditional styles, both
folk and classic. In some cases, current
contemporary designs actually combine
design features from several traditional
architectural styles. However, there
are some commonly recognized char-
acteristics of contemporary houses.
These include a wide variation in ceil-
ing heights, very tall windows with
large glass panes, open floor plans, fl
and unusual use of shapes and spaces.
The exterior architecture often reflectsfl
these elements through such features as
rooflines and tall windows. fl
Some contemporary housing designs
may seem surprising or even controver-
sial when compared to the traditional
styles of the past. Other contemporary
houses may combine both traditional and
modern elements in their plans, 6-23. The
successful blending of unrelated styles
Bedroom
level
Living level
Basement
level
Intermediate
level
Bedroom
level
Living level
Basement
level
Intermediate
level
Bedroom
level
Living level
Basement
level
I In Int ermediate
level
A B
6-22
(A) Split-level
houses are
designed to adapt
to sloped sites.
(B) Changing the
arrangement of
levels in a split-
level house also
changes its outside
appearance.