Architects love to think they are in total control of a house design, but alas (or thank God, depending on your perspective) this is far from the case. The best an architect or designer can hope for is to grab hold of the powerful forces shaping a house, rather like holding the reins of a runaway horse team. Like runaway horses, most of the crucial elements in a house design cannot be stopped and started at will, but may usefully be redirected toward a good purpose. So it is with the site. The New England site, like New England weather, exhibits staggering variety. Water, rock, vegetation, slope, local weather, soil type, surrounding construction, views and zoning regulations vary
