If you are looking to buy or build a new house, you may want to consider the feng shui positioning for the home on the building site and relative to the surrounding landscape. Some experts believe that the orientation of the house on the land and the quality of the surrounding geography is even more important that the interior layout of the house when it comes to creating good feng shui.
Consider the Chi
First, regardless of whether you are buying an empty lot or a house that is already built, it’s important to look at the chi quality of the land itself. Does the building site and the surrounding area look and feel vibrant? Is the vegetation lush and full of life? Land that is dry and lacking in vegetation is a sign of low or inhibited chi. If considering a building site that is part of a development that is underway, as about the landscaping plans for the area.
The best feng shui positioning is when the land behind the house (the backyard or neighboring property) is slightly higher than the area in front of the house. This symbolizes the classical feng shui land positioning of the turtle—one of the celestial feng shui animals—offering protection and good backing for the house.
The worst feng shui is to have sloping land behind the house or a backyard that is lower than the front yard.
Classic Building Site Arrangement
In classical feng shui, the ideal shape of the yard and positioning of the house on the building site is as follows, when looking at the house from outside, facing the front:
- Front of the house: This space, known as the phoenix—should be open space that allows good chi to gather and nourish the house.
- The right side of the house: This dragon space should be slightly higher than the left side to allow good support and prosperity.
- The left side of the house: This tiger space should be slightly lower than the right side of the house.
- Back of the house: The turtle space should be a raised back yard (in classical feng shui, this would ideally be a mountain shape).
Landscaping and House Design
A building site that is flat on both sides is not considered bad feng shui, but a better feng shui arrangement can be created by the manipulating the design of the house. For example, the chimney positioned on the right side of the house will make the right side higher. Landscaping can certainly create good feng shui, and in this case, a tall vibrant tree, or several trees on the right side of the house will create the same feng shui effect.
Similarly, a sloped backyard, or one that is lower than the front yard, might be remedied by building terraces or raised bed gardening areas.
The Shape of the Land
As for the shape of the building site, a natural square or rectangular shape is considered the best feng shui. These shapes allow for a harmonious gathering and accumulation of energies. The worst feng shui shapes are triangular building sites or lots that have missing or deformed corners.
It is also best when the backyard or land behind the house is more spacious than the front yard. In classical feng shui, this is considered auspicious, as it allows the energy of wealth to accumulate at the front entry.
Bodies of Water
Bodies of water can have a positive or negative impact on the overall feng shui of home, depending on where they are located.
- Large bodies of water (larger than the home) are considered bad feng shui when they are very close behind the house.
- A body of water in front of the house—such as a lake, river, or well-kept pond—is considered excellent feng shui.
Where your building site is in close proximity to water, it is advantageous to position the house so the front entry faces the water, if this is possible.
Other Tips
Some feng shui experts offer other guidelines for choosing a good building site and positioning the house:
- Avoid poison arrows aimed directly toward your home, such as street intersections, church steeples, and tall buildings.
- Don’t build near sha chi (negative chi) areas, including cemeteries, garbage dumps, hospitals, landfills, or prisons.
- Avoid cul-de-sac lots, which can collect chi energy that stagnates and cannot easily enter your home.
- Avoid homes at the end of a street, where chi energy tends to rush in an uncontrolled fashion.