I spent a lot of time on a residential lot in NE Portland along the Alameda ridge that is ripe for a house. Of course it is a hillside lot! Which of course brings with it such nice things as drama, view, fresh breezes, privacy… I designed a 2 story 3,000 sf house that would fit well onto the lot, maximizing the light and yard space. I called it rossa because there are some abandoned rose bushes at the bottom that I liked to pick. The trick was building a tall retaining wall along the street and building the house on top and creating a nice southwest facing yard where there was none, and capturing the great view.
Sadly, the owner decided to double his price (from $250k to 450k) which made it unfeasible. I liked the lot and the house I designed for it. Here are some pictures.
Here are some of the ideas for that house.
houses by christopher gelber 