a stack of houses

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a stack of houses" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a group of houses that are stacked or arranged closely together, often in a metaphorical sense or in a specific architectural context. Example: "In the new urban development, the architect designed a stack of houses that maximizes space while providing stunning views."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Part of that collection will now be displayed in the VitraHaus, which was conceived as what Jacques Herzog, co-founder of Herzog & de Meuron, describes as "a stack of houses".

The New York Times - Arts

Part of that collection will now be displayed in the VitraHaus, which was conceived as what Jacques Herzog, co-founder of Herzog & de Meuron, describes as "a stack of houses". It consists of a dozen or so replicas of the sort of archetypal gabled homes that a child might draw, literally stacked on top of each other.

The New York Times - Arts

The other new photos include a stack of houses wedged between two cliffs, so that if one were removed they would all topple, and a portrait of an architect drawing, in which he looks like part of an architectural rendering.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

ARMED with a stack of house-listing printouts from Craigslist.com, a popular website, Paul Rademacher was driving around Silicon Valley late last year looking for a place to live.

The Economist

He acknowledges it's harder to achieve in a large organisation where rules and regulations dictate, but "some of the ideas and feelings we are dealing with are transferable in how we are trying to look at the spaces and that art of care... [Our design for Guy's] only has five floors, built like a stack of individual houses.

The Guardian

Like the Mountain, it is not an exotic shape into which apartments have been jammed; it's quite legibly a stack of salable housing units.

The New Yorker

Would they, without such a substratum be just a stack of qualities, a house of cards with nothing holding them together?

SEP

He also made us an exclusive mix with a stack of excellent old house tracks that existed a decade or so before he was born, as well as blending in some fresh New Zealand talent.

Vice

A. It's a Herzog & de Meuron stack of houses, and it's sitting in an Anish Kapoor sculpture, which is the first public work that he's doing in New York.

The New York Times

Having defined a new way to look at a plain black striped canvas or a stack of bricks or tract housing, Minimalism established that art could require our conscious assimilation of it as such: place bricks in a gallery and turn them into something else, sculptural objects, with weight, color and shape, defining the room, if we choose to see them that way.

The New York Times - Arts

Imagine a future where you go into a grocery store to buy some fresh basil, and, as you traverse the aisle, instead of polythene bags containing mass-produced snippets of the herb that have been flown in from thousands of miles away, in front of you are a stack of illuminated containers, each housing a mini basil farm.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing architectural designs or conceptual art, use "a stack of houses" to vividly depict the structure's layered or superimposed nature. This works particularly well in contexts discussing modern or unusual housing arrangements.

Common error

Don't use "a stack of houses" when simply referring to houses located near each other. This phrase implies a deliberate vertical arrangement or layering, not just proximity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a stack of houses" functions primarily as a noun phrase, often used as a descriptive element within a sentence. It refers to a group of houses arranged vertically or in layers. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it's grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a stack of houses" is a grammatically sound noun phrase used to describe a vertical or layered arrangement of houses, often found in architectural or artistic contexts. While Ludwig AI confirms its correctness, it's relatively rare in everyday language, appearing more frequently in news, media, and scientific discussions. Alternatives include "a cluster of homes" or "tiered housing units". When using the phrase, ensure it accurately reflects a deliberate vertical arrangement rather than simply houses located near one another.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a cluster of homes

Replaces "stack" with "cluster" emphasizing a grouping, and "houses" with "homes", adding a touch of warmth.

a pile of dwellings

Substitutes "stack" with "pile", suggesting a less organized heap, and "houses" with "dwellings", making it more generic.

tiered housing units

Replaces the entire phrase with a more formal description of layered or stepped housing.

stacked residential buildings

Uses "residential buildings" to specify the type of houses and "stacked" as an adjective.

vertically arranged houses

Describes the arrangement of houses in a vertical orientation.

a layered arrangement of homes

Focuses on the layered aspect and uses "homes" for a slightly softer tone.

houses stacked one upon another

Elaborates on the stacking, emphasizing the vertical arrangement.

a multi-story housing complex

Uses a more general term for a building with multiple levels of housing.

a collection of stacked residences

Emphasizes the collection aspect and uses a more formal term "residences".

gabled homes stacked atop each other

Specifies the style of homes (gabled) and reiterates their vertical arrangement.

FAQs

How can I describe something similar to "a stack of houses"?

You can use alternatives like "a cluster of homes", "tiered housing units", or "vertically arranged houses" depending on the context.

In what context is it appropriate to use the term "a stack of houses"?

It is best used when referring to a deliberate architectural design where houses or housing units are arranged vertically, often in an unconventional or artistic manner. This could be in discussions about modern architecture or conceptual art projects.

Is "a stack of houses" a common phrase in everyday conversation?

No, it's not a very common phrase. It is more likely to appear in architectural or design-related contexts, or in creative writing where the image of stacked houses is being invoked.

What's the difference between "a stack of houses" and "a row of houses"?

"A stack of houses" implies a vertical arrangement, with houses placed on top of each other. In contrast, "a row of houses" suggests a linear arrangement, with houses positioned side by side.