Foundations are not the focal point of the house; in fact great care is often devoted to disguising them (by masonry brick work and landscaping, e.g.). Foundations simply do not contribute to the architectural aesthetics of a building. Yet without a suitable foundation the building will be unsafe, and its architectural merits will rapidly fade. The foundation is not designed to capture an observer’s attention. Rarely, if ever, is it a key factor in choosing a home to purchase. To the architect and