Kadenwood Glass House

Built into the mountainside in the exclusive Kadenwood neighbourhood above Whistler’s Creekside Village, this custom single-family home optimizes its majestic northern views. Its design prioritizes comfort and innovation, a decadent retreat in this ski resort town. A cantilevered walkway juts out over a dramatic slope from an elliptical custom hot tub, with views towards a local ski run at the back of the house.

The residence is a combination of reinforced concrete for the lower portion and structural steel superstructure with wood infill framing and a custom steel plate stair. In all aspects, it challenged Fast + Epp to find creative engineering solutions, including incorporating a thermal break into a round concrete column to allow for exposed structure.

An interior bridge links two halves of the upper floor, functioning as a drag strut to promote an open floor plan. A vierendeel truss built into an interior upper floor wall, meanwhile, permits column-free design.

Due to Whistler’s snowy winter climate, consideration for snow loads were also key. Fast + Epp recommended a clever mix of steel and wood framing, to support the large cantilevered roof sections and maintain a thin profile.