91.0 House

91 is a custom home situated on a forested waterfront lot in the Gulf Islands of the Canadian Pacific Northwest. Spanning a fern-filled gully between two rocky ridges, the house is experienced as a suspended path through the forest canopy. Entry begins discreetly through an earth-set volume, gradually transitioning to a lofty bridge-like space in the trees and ending at a west-facing beach overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

The building rests on two main foundation points either side of the gully below to minimize disturbance to the natural setting while accommodating key mechanical systems of the home, a wine cellar, sauna, and storage space.

The main structure of the building using a series of 70’ long steel beams to span the gulley without intermediate support and transfers a plywood shear walls lateral system. A detailed deflection study was used to predict steel beam movements during each stage of construction which informed pre-cambering values for offsetting deadload deflections and maintaining a flat floor surface despite the long-span and heavy load transfer. Floor-acceleration analysis and multi-phase in-situ testing was used to confirm that the low frequency floor would still have an acceptable vibration performance.

The plan is divided into two sections: a main wing for the owners with living spaces and a suspended bedroom, and a secondary wing with guest accommodation that can be opened or closed as needed. A small triangular opening at the center of the home creates a visual break with a non-accessible courtyard below, adding a sense of openness.

The exterior is clad in sandblasted cedar blocks, giving the house a textured, geological character that blends into its surroundings. Though it sits on a large waterfront site, the house is oriented perpendicular to the coast, emphasizing the drama of the landscape rather than proximity to the shoreline.

Images by Fahim Kassam, courtesy of Omer Arbel Office.