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Openspace Architecture designed a three-storey, 7,000-square-foot home on a historic West Vancouver property, using glass, concrete and wood to connect the residence with its tree-filled setting. The project’s cantilevered upper floor and detailed construction balance the owners’ minimalist brief with seismic and climate requirements.
Openspace Architecture’s 7,000-square-foot West Vancouver home is designed to appear suspended among trees on a historic site above the oceanfront, according to a report by Design Milk. The three-storey residence combines broad glazing, concrete and custom-stained wood, while its compact structural design had to meet seismic requirements and Canadian climate performance demands.
The home was commissioned by two empty nesters seeking a long-term residence, according to the report. Senior associate Eric Pettit said the clients wanted a minimalist modern design that would engage with the landscape while contrasting with it. The architecture uses long horizontal forms across the site, with an upper level that projects over the main floor.
The open-plan main floor brings together the living room, dining area and kitchen behind floor-to-ceiling glass. Sliding doors open onto a pool terrace and outdoor dining area. The primary suite is on a lower level with access to a garden and a manufactured stream that runs alongside it. Four other bedrooms occupy the cantilevered upper floor.
Construction details respond to both the design and performance brief. The board-formed concrete walls retain impressions of the wooden planks used to make their forms; the report says the walls also incorporate rigid-foam thermal breaks. Inside, ribbed, CNC-milled hemlock ceilings and stained walnut details sit alongside engineered fumed-oak flooring. Exterior cedar siding and louvers were custom-stained to suit the property’s light and shade.
Designing Around Trees and Terrain
The project shows how a visually spare home can require substantial coordination behind the scenes. Pettit said the team had to reconcile thin, compact structural assemblies with seismic rules and the demands of a high-performance envelope in Canada’s climate. The result is not only a composition of glass and natural materials: it is also a technical response to structural, thermal and site constraints.
For readers interested in residential design, the home offers a specific example of how architecture can frame a landscape without relying on rustic forms. The large windows and horizontal massing make the trees and changing daylight part of the interior experience, while the custom wood finishes draw cues from the property. The report describes the effect as a home that appears to float, but that is a visual impression rather than a claim about the building’s structure.
The story also highlights the balance between contemporary construction and a site with an older history. The property’s former farmhouse was too deteriorated to preserve, according to Design Milk. The new residence therefore responds to the setting through its placement, materials and views rather than through the preservation of the earlier building.
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A Century-Old West Vancouver Property
The site’s history reaches back to the 1920s, when it belonged to one of West Vancouver’s original land barons and included a small farmhouse. The report says the farmhouse had deteriorated beyond repair and could not be preserved. It does not identify the former owner or give further details about the property’s history.
Openspace Architecture took a contemporary approach for the replacement residence, using transparency and natural materials to keep the surrounding landscape central. Design Milk credits photographer Ema Peter for the project images. The article frames the design as a response to the owners’ brief and the site, rather than as a restoration or replication of the former farmhouse.
Several choices were tailored to the property. Pettit said the exterior cedar siding and louvers were stained in combinations selected for anticipated patterns of light and shadow. Indoors, the team tested 35 walnut stain samples before settling on a finish, while the ceiling ribs and integrated fixtures were coordinated across the interior.
“The clients were dedicated to a modern minimalist aesthetic that could embrace its environment while standing in stark contrast to it.”
— Eric Pettit, senior associate at Openspace Architecture
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Project Details Not Yet Reported
The Design Milk source does not give the home’s street address, construction or completion date, project budget, or the names of the clients. It also does not provide engineering specifications, energy-performance figures, or details about how the project’s structural systems were assessed against seismic requirements. Those points cannot be established from the report alone.
The phrase “appears to float” describes the visual effect of the home’s cantilevered upper level and setting among trees; the source does not describe the building as physically floating. The report also does not provide information about permits, planning approvals, or whether additional project documentation is available from the architect.
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Further Project Information
The supplied report does not announce a new construction milestone, public event, or scheduled follow-up. Further details would need to come from Openspace Architecture, the project team, or additional documentation. Readers seeking information about the residence’s engineering, cost or timeline should treat those specifics as unreported in the available source.
For now, the project is presented through its architectural design and material choices: a glass-fronted main floor, a projecting upper storey, a lower-level garden connection and finishes selected to relate to the surrounding trees. Any additional claims about performance or the home’s history would require independent confirmation.
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Key Questions
Where is the home?
It is in West Vancouver, British Columbia, on a property above the oceanfront. The report does not provide a street address.
Who designed the residence?
Openspace Architecture designed the home. Eric Pettit, a senior associate at the firm, discussed the project’s design and coordination for the report.
What does the home include?
The three-storey residence has an open-plan main floor, a lower-level primary suite with garden access, and four additional bedrooms upstairs. Its main floor opens onto a pool terrace and outdoor dining area.
Why does the house appear to float?
The report uses that description for the visual effect of the home’s cantilevered upper level, horizontal forms and position among the trees. It is an architectural impression, not a claim that the structure floats.
What information about the project is still unavailable?
The source does not state the home’s address, budget, construction dates, energy-performance results, or detailed engineering specifications. It also does not identify the clients.
Source: rss
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