Perched on a sleepy residential road in the Vancouver neighbourhood of Kitsilano is a contemporary, cabin-like home. Designed by Canadian firm Scott and Scott Architects (past projects include a farmhouse on the country's West Coast), the house was crafted with longevity in mind, slotting neatly into its leafy plot, garnished with mature oak trees.
Step inside Kitsilano House
Much like its surrounding context – the neighbourhood is known for its outdoorsy aesthetic with streets selling activewear and outdoor gear – Kitsilano House feels suited to a grounded way of living. The design is put together with two distinct parts: the first is a more robust volume, while the other is a delicate ‘cabin’, which is under a canopy of flowering rhododendrons and magnolia trees. Much like a dainty bird's nest nestled within the branches of a sturdy tree.
The clients approached David Scott, founder of the firm, with a desire for a crafted home that would feel like a family heirloom. ‘The site of the home is a stretch of a corridor which is in transition from bungalows to taller, denser buildings,’ explains Scott. ‘Our objective was to design a home which has both a gentle strength and a form of privacy which would be generous to the neighbourhood.’
The result was a residence that offered a living and dining area within the solid-feeling concrete base. On the terrace, a series of flowering trees would create a natural screen to secure more private bedrooms on the two timber floors.
The lower floors have white walls and a western clerestory window to frame the evening sun and bring gentle light in. The living room is tucked into this north side of the house. In contrast to the walls of the street-level living spaces, the home's central core is clad in locally sourced Douglas fir boards extending upwards through the bedroom floors and down into the movie room below. A soothing atmosphere is underlined by the sounds of morning birdsong from the canopy's wild residents. Shelving is built into the walls to display the client’s ceramics, both made and collected.
Scott, who also designed Osler House, a midcentury gem in Vancouver, loves that Kitsilano House is always changing, saying, ‘On the exterior, the plants and split cedar siding and fencing are evolving each season. The joinery within the home is all solid wood, while the cabinetry tops and handrails are all finished in leather to be durable, all of which will show use and age.’
It is these small details that Scott wants to highlight, as they magnify the history of the house and the materials of the region. He notes, ‘The base of the house was formed with the boards from the small bungalow which preceded it, and the hand-split cedar boards, interior fir, and the oak tables which we made in our studio were all sourced from small mills on Vancouver Island.’
A distinct sense of calm permeates all areas at Kitsilano House. As the residence is designed to evolve with time, the shadows and light which disperse through the space add a cinematic quality. Scott concludes, ‘Vancouver has a long grey rainy season which leads to a month in the spring where the quiet streets come alive with magnolias, rhododendrons and wisteria. We wanted to make a home where the warmth of the wood is comforting during winter and which celebrates this colourful spring moment.’
