-
Architects: D'Arcy Jones Architects
- Area: 442 m²
- Year: 2023
-
Photographs:Sama Jim Canzian
Text description provided by the architects. Site - This project is in Sandy Cove, a small West Vancouver neighborhood in a mature coastal rainforest filled with mature Douglas fir and Western red cedar trees. The unique site has three "front" yards, facing Cypress Mountain to the north, Burrard Inlet to the south, and Lighthouse Park to the west. The site's complex geography is cradled by rough, lichen-covered granite. This house replaces a distinctive Ron Thom-designed house that was as sharp and ragged as the site with an innovative hexagonal grid inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright's Usonian floor plans. Unfortunately, the previous house from the 1960s was demolished after a contentious battle between heritage preservationists, local politicians, and land speculators.
Design - Deferring the site's lost architectural heritage, the new house's angular plan takes its cues from Ron Thom's design, but, more importantly, it uses angles to create specific sightlines that embrace the panoramic views surrounding the property. The angular planning also edits out unwanted surrounding views since roads on three sides bind the site. Conventional planning was reversed, so private bedrooms and family spaces are on the lower and middle levels. This allowed the house's public spaces – most used during the day– to be on the upper level, enjoying the best views, natural light, and generous outdoor spaces. The upper level has a continuous wrap-around deck providing exterior living space in every direction for all hours of the day while being protected from frequent rain. The house's chevron shape creates a small cove at the south-facing elevation, providing protection and privacy for the pool and deck areas. At the house's extremities, the points of the floor plan mimic the prow of a ship, leading your eyes toward large ocean-going freighters anchored in the harbor. Top-floor windows and doors do not go down to the floor, making the surrounding views more horizontal and private.
Materiality - The treed site inspires the cladding on the house in two ways. Custom oversized red cedar shingles create a quirky sense of scale and proportion since the shingles are four times larger than usual. These shingles give the illusion of a smaller, compact house nestled in the forest, providing a more visceral connection between the inhabitants and the potent materiality of the wood's grain and texture. Common materials experienced at a new scale are a delight, invoking child-like joy. The shingles were finished with a custom stain chosen to match the bark on the surrounding trees, making it seem older than it was. In contrast, the interior is full of diffused ambient light, as a glowing white liner. Interior detailing matches the house's floor plans. All trims are made from 45-degree chamfered boards that wrap uninterrupted throughout the home, like one continuous Mobius strip. The detailing makes the interior simultaneously dynamic and calm.
