Cottages
August 3, 2021
This Bowen Island Retreat Boasts Mountain & Ocean Views
Nestled on a three-hectare site on Bowen Island — a tranquil community with beaches, hiking and biking trails just a 20-minute ferry ride from West Vancouver — this dwelling has an unspoiled mountain and ocean view that is the stuff of workday fantasies. The three-bedroom, 2,900-square-foot house, with its green roof, locally sourced cedar cladding and minimal footprint, blends in to the surroundings while providing a place for the owners, a pair of busy Vancouver physicians and their two young children, to relax and recharge.
“About six or seven years ago, we started thinking about how we wanted a place for our family to be more connected to nature,” says one owner, whose primary residence is an apartment in downtown Vancouver. In early 2016, that dream led the family to purchase a plot on Bowen Island, which they loved for its privacy and proximity to the city — not to mention those expansive views. “We were taken immediately by the raw beauty of it, and how the site connects to the ocean and moss-covered cliffs,” he says.
They regularly met with Vancouver’s Office of McFarlane Biggar Architects + Designers (omb), a firm that had experience building in remote coastal settings, to talk about what they hoped the house could be. They wanted the four-season structure to be as unobtrusive as possible, leading omb to design it perpendicular to the water. “For us, the most exciting challenge was to create a modest and timeless building that responds to its context,” says principal architect Steve McFarlane. “It’s designed to augment the experience of its natural setting while making space for family-focused living, art and calmness.”
It’s omb principal Michelle Biggar’s unique approach to modern design — simple functionality blended with warmth and exuberance — that flows through the rooms. “This is where we slow down from our busy work and family life in the city,” says one owner. “It gives us the chance to read by the fire and focus on quality time with our children.”
Scroll down to tour this modern summer house!
Building a house on an island accessible only by boat meant designing with a focus on the economy of means, where only local materials would be leveraged to create simple, refined spaces. Lightbox skylights are a practical solution to bring in more natural light, which also welcome visitors at night with their lantern-like glow.
Steve’s design involved constructing a concrete foundation topped by a wood- and glass-clad box. By leaving many of the surrounding trees in place, the house takes on the feeling of being part of the forest, complete with birds, squirrels and rustling branches. “Many guests comment on how wonderful it is to look at the trees, rather than simply wanting to see past them,” says one owner.
Windows with minimal frames maximize the views and help make the house disappear into the landscape. Hits of sapphire blue enliven the living room’s overall white and wood-tone scheme.
Conceived as a contemporary cabin in the woods, the house has hemlock floors and ceilings, and a wood-burning fireplace.
The couple’s collection of contemporary art and furniture made by Canadian designers take center stage. “The pieces bring a youthfulness and energy to the home,” she says, singling out a pair of coffee tables by Vancouver designer Christian Woo. “They’re so simple and beautiful yet there’s also an inviting playfulness to them.”
A painting by artist Graham Gillmore and a pair of asymmetrical pendants add graphic impact to the dining area.
A white-on-white open kitchen adds brightness to the main floor.
The dramatically framed view from the main staircase.
The principal bedroom features a wood-framed bed by Toronto artisan Kate Duncan.
It also faces out towards the ocean, so it was important to keep the decorating minimal.
Ema Peter
House & Home July/August 2021
Architecture and design by Office of Mcfarlane Biggar Architects + Designers (OMB)