A good designer will design to suit the site. Have a look at Sanctum Design. I recall they have one called 'Breeze House'? They have some great design's that will allow Northern light into living space's situated to the South side of a block. Use a Vergola type of roof instead of a Pergola.

What are your goals for your new home? The answers (on various levels) to this question will determine the appropriate direction/solution for you. It will be about balancing these goals against a specified budget within your particular context. You have great potential to maximise the natural (steep) topography and there are always creative ways to connect with this and make the most of it. What kind of living experience to you seek? If you cannot answer that question you need either invest time researching this or invest in advice from a professional that can get you thinking about the important things. As I always explain, I'll never tell people how they should live or what they should spend, but I will help them work out the best balance between the two, and whether reno or new build, high or low budget there are ALWAYS compromises involved, and that's where good design comes into play.......my advice is whatever you do, (and this actually applies to anyone entertaining the notion of a project) understand that your best investment in the project above and beyond anything else will be in (a) establishing/rationalising/clarifying and prioritising the project goals - ie YOUR specific decisions/requirements (not your friends/family/neighbours/random ideas - and this is easier said than done!) and (b) engaging professional assistance/advice/services as early as possible to assist resolving a solution/design that expertly manages, addresses and achieves a viable and balanced solution for your home in context, particularly on a site like this.........yes there will be off the shelf options that could work but more often than not the cost you think you may save will be tipped back in dealing with with (a) potential "hidden" site costs such as retaining etc and (b) arguably less value achieved than potentially if the solution is "standardised" or forced inappropriately in context........My instinct is that you have great potential for a split level design that works to the site topography/captures views etc but maximises the unique experience of living on this particular property....... bets of luck with it :) PD

My house is also built at the top of a hill, the summit and is cut into a cliff. We bought it, it was built in the 90s and the orientation is entirely wrong. The living areas face west and all bedrooms are in the east. The master is exposed to the western and the northern sunshine. It’s nice in the winter and entirely unbearable in the summer. The same goes for my living room. We take extra long holidays in the summer to avoid being at home. The home had no insulation in ceilings, and raked ceilings. So the first thing we did was remove the roof sheeting install battens to create a cavity and installed R3.5 insulation. We are also upgrading installing new windows to upgrade the glazing on the western windows and looking to put insulation in all the walls It also gets really windy, so windy. So I understand your concerns. When it gets windy the entire house shakes. So the next thing will be to improve the bracing. There is a 3-4metre clearance under our home for storage. We could do a build in under. Even with the positioning of our shed and close proximity to the home it does little to shelter from the wind. We are considered the building an “outdoor room” which would act as an alfresco with skylights, lounge, pool and kitchenette that could act as an outdoor entertainment area when weather permits. I just did a sustainable design for a client nearby. I am so jealous of her amazing home. Her land is smaller then my land and her land cost the same price as my house and land. So I am grateful for what I have.

put the carport higher up the block with a longer driveway?..anything is possible if you move enough earth but could you have the garage and main living areas closer together and the deck to one side as a half way point .ie with less steps between each level and spread further along the block and not one on top of the other..what's the width and length of the block and the distance from the front boundary to the beginning of the steep section and then the length of the steep section..if you haven't already done so a detailed contour survey will help suggest the best options