Family retreat on Bowen Island is a modern rethink of a woodland cabin
This British Columbia family retreat on Bowen Island is a light and modern interpretation of a woodland cabin, designed by Vancouver based architects omb
Circled by cool waters, engulfed in ragged natural beauty and green woods, yet only a short trip from Vancouver, Bowen Island makes for the perfect weekend escape. With this in mind, when a young family of city-dwellers picked a sloped site on the island to build their vacation home, an extraordinairy escape they called upon British Columbia architects omb (office of mcfarlane biggar) for help.
The result of their collaboration is Bowen Island House, a contemporary home conceived as a modern, all mod cons interpretation of the humble cabin in the woods. Nestled at the top of a steep slope on the island's dramatic north side, the residence was designed to be open and bright, orientating views towards the blue sea and embracing the lush nature around it.
At the same time, while the house feels comfortable and generous, it sits lightly on the land, attempting to disturb as little as possible its delicate natural surroundings through a long yet slim footprint. Working with simple forms and details and keeping a low profile from the water's side to blend in with the context as much as possible, the structure is also able to function entirely off the grid to minimize its environmental footprint.
A dark, timber clad upper level helps the volume disolve into the landscape when seen from the outside; but from inside, carefully placed openings frame views and connect the residents with the outdoors at every turn.
Spread across two levels, the house features a flowing piano nobile that hosts the main living and entertainment spaces, as well as the two family bedrooms. The lower level, semi-submerged into the slope, includes a guest bedroom suite and storage for leisure equipment. Glass expanses on both floors reflect the views and direct the gaze towards the water, underlining the main protagonist of this summer home - the island's calming, natural landscape.
INFORMATION
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).
-
Maude’s Brâncuși-inspired sex toys go on display in a new Paris exhibition
Maude’s design-led vibrators are now on display at Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, as part of ‘Private Lives: From the Bedroom to Social Media’. Brand founder Éva Goicochea talks to Wallpaper* about partnering with the museum and opening up cultural conversations around sex
By India Birgitta Jarvis Published
-
‘I was captivated by the idea of merging two iconic brands’: Nigo on his 1990s-inspired collaboration with Moncler and Mercedes-Benz
Unveiled at Moncler’s ‘The City of Genius’ event in Shanghai this past weekend, Japanese fashion designer Nigo unpacks his three-way collaboration with Moncler and Mercedes-Benz, which includes a play on the G-Class alongside a fashion collection in his eclectic style
By Jack Moss Published
-
Cathay Pacific’s new business class Aria Suites take flight
Cathay Pacific raises the bar for business-class travel with the launch of the much-anticipated Aria Suites
By Lauren Ho Published
-
Bunkie on The Hill is a cosy Canadian cottage full of charm
Bunkie on The Hill, a design by Dubbeldam Architecture + Design, is tucked into the trees, slotting neatly into Ontario's nature
By Shawn Adams Published
-
Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2024: meet the practices
In the Wallpaper* Architects Directory 2024, our latest guide to exciting, emerging practices from around the world, 20 young studios show off their projects and passion
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Svima looked to Japanese architecture, 'nature and ecology' for Passageway House in Serbia
The Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2024 includes Svima, a young Canadian practice joining our annual round-up of exciting emerging architecture studios
By Tianna Williams Published
-
Arthur Erickson's Museum of Anthropology at UBC has been given a new lease of life in Vancouver
After an extensive renovation, The Museum of Anthropology is part Shinto shrine, part cathedral, part longhouse – and a temple to learning
By Hadani Ditmars Published
-
A dramatic new lakeside cabin in the Canadian wilderness rises above the trees
Kariouk Architects' lakeside cabin ‘m.o.r.e. CLT’ explores new material approaches while making a minimal impact on a precious landscape
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Forest Retreat is a new low-energy family house in the forests of Ontario
Set beneath a vast roof, Forest Retreat is a rich mix of local materials, craftsmanship and space for an extended family to get together in the heart of nature
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Join the West Coast Modern Week's Home Tour 2024 for modernist architecture and more
West Coast Modern Week 2024 comes with its annual home tour courtesy of the West Vancouver Art Museum, offering an extensive, immersive showcase of Canada's modernist architecture
By Hadani Ditmars Published
-
A modernist lakeside cottage in Ontario provides a perfect backdrop for family vacations
A lakeside cottage by Canadian studio Dubbeldam Architecture + Design has been shaped as a modest multigenerational retreat to accommodate the surrounding wilderness
By Jonathan Bell Published