Westbay House
2024
Vanouver
3756ft2
Vanouver
3756ft2
The West Bay House is greatly inspired by its luscious natural surroundings of forest, ravine and ocean. The property edges onto West Bay Park—with tall cedar, fir and alder canopies brush up against it, while also perching over West Bay itself. The architectural language both honours and emulates the immersive dramatic experiences of the landscape.
The footprint of the house is intentionally long and spread out over two storeys instead of being a shorter and three storeys. Liked a forest path, these long floor plans provide moments of intrigue and discovery. The angled walls act to withhold the spectacular ocean sights, while the rounded corners of some interior walls invite people to move past them. The feature programmatic rooms including: the family room, master bedroom, deck hot tub, and living room, are similarly nested amid these provocative walls. A strategy to get light and views into this long configuration comprises of cutting a triangle out of the southeast side of the plans—an experience akin to discovering a clearing in the forest.
One of the strongest impressions a forest leaves is of vertically. Taking cues from the trees, the dwelling has tall ceilings on both floors. Complimentary to this, it has long runs of floor-to-ceiling minimal windows—allowing for deep light penetration and unobstructed vistas. On the main floor this combinations give the impression to a person within that they are amid the neighbouring tree canopies.
Not only is the verticality of a forest expressed through height but also division. At your feet a forest is stereotomic: monolithic and carved into by erosion and roots, above it is tectonic: made up of many articulating parts such as on a branch. The dwelling abides by these divisions through material choices. Many of the exterior and some of the interior basement walls are plyform exposed concrete. Meanwhile, the narrow panels of the accoya wood cladding, metal slat guards, hemlock ceiling and numerous divisions of custom millwork help to express the tectonic character of the main floor.
The spatial experience of the house is an echoing transformation from mystery to discovery repeating itself in different variations. It is a reflection of and connection to the quintessential West Coast experience of nature.
The footprint of the house is intentionally long and spread out over two storeys instead of being a shorter and three storeys. Liked a forest path, these long floor plans provide moments of intrigue and discovery. The angled walls act to withhold the spectacular ocean sights, while the rounded corners of some interior walls invite people to move past them. The feature programmatic rooms including: the family room, master bedroom, deck hot tub, and living room, are similarly nested amid these provocative walls. A strategy to get light and views into this long configuration comprises of cutting a triangle out of the southeast side of the plans—an experience akin to discovering a clearing in the forest.
One of the strongest impressions a forest leaves is of vertically. Taking cues from the trees, the dwelling has tall ceilings on both floors. Complimentary to this, it has long runs of floor-to-ceiling minimal windows—allowing for deep light penetration and unobstructed vistas. On the main floor this combinations give the impression to a person within that they are amid the neighbouring tree canopies.
Not only is the verticality of a forest expressed through height but also division. At your feet a forest is stereotomic: monolithic and carved into by erosion and roots, above it is tectonic: made up of many articulating parts such as on a branch. The dwelling abides by these divisions through material choices. Many of the exterior and some of the interior basement walls are plyform exposed concrete. Meanwhile, the narrow panels of the accoya wood cladding, metal slat guards, hemlock ceiling and numerous divisions of custom millwork help to express the tectonic character of the main floor.
The spatial experience of the house is an echoing transformation from mystery to discovery repeating itself in different variations. It is a reflection of and connection to the quintessential West Coast experience of nature.
PROJECT TEAM — Matt Mcleod, Lisa Bovell & Pooya Sanjari
BUILDER — Bradner Homes
PHOTOGRAPHY — Ema Peter
BUILDER — Bradner Homes
PHOTOGRAPHY — Ema Peter
BASEMENT
01 — Bedroom
02 — Ensuite
03 — Laundry
04 — Bedroom
05 — Ensuite
06 — Wine Cellar
07 — Family Room
08 — Ensuite
09 — Bedroom
10 – Primary Closet
11 — Primary Ensuite
12 — Primary Bedroom
13 — Primary Deck Tub
14 — Covered Deck
02 — Ensuite
03 — Laundry
04 — Bedroom
05 — Ensuite
06 — Wine Cellar
07 — Family Room
08 — Ensuite
09 — Bedroom
10 – Primary Closet
11 — Primary Ensuite
12 — Primary Bedroom
13 — Primary Deck Tub
14 — Covered Deck
MAIN FLOOR
01 — Garage
02 — Entry Bridge
03 — Foyer
04 — Mudroom
05 — Office
06 — Powder Room
07 — Pantry
08 — Dining Room
09 — Kitchen
10 — Living Room
11 — Covered Deck
02 — Entry Bridge
03 — Foyer
04 — Mudroom
05 — Office
06 — Powder Room
07 — Pantry
08 — Dining Room
09 — Kitchen
10 — Living Room
11 — Covered Deck
SECTION
FACING WEST
FACING WEST
01 — Entry Bridge
02 — Foyer
03 — Dining Room
04 — Living Room
05 — Upper Covered Deck
06 — Ensuite
07 — Ensuite
08 — Family Room
09 — Bedroom
10 — Primary Ensuite
11 — Primary Hot Tub
02 — Foyer
03 — Dining Room
04 — Living Room
05 — Upper Covered Deck
06 — Ensuite
07 — Ensuite
08 — Family Room
09 — Bedroom
10 — Primary Ensuite
11 — Primary Hot Tub
SECTION
FACING NORTH
FACING NORTH
01 — Kitchen
02 — Open to Foyer
03 — Family Room
04 — Open to Corridor
02 — Open to Foyer
03 — Family Room
04 — Open to Corridor