Governors Point is a stunning 125-acre peninsula that encompasses a 98-acre nature reserve. Vancouver architect, Omer Arbel crafted a vision for a series of residences carefully positioned along the coastline and designed to celebrate and blend into the context of the site.
The home features a unique design, with a primarily concrete structure built directly into the waterfront’s edge, and cantilevers extending over the ocean. The concrete slab design was a complex structural design, due to the unique geometry, openings, embedded lighting, massive skylights, and expansive cantilevers utilized throughout the project.
The casting of dynamic shapes and forms is inspired by the natural world. This is achieved through artisanal craftsmanship, where sacks of sand are cast into the concrete and removed after curing to create unique void shapes, resulting in an otherworldly, geometric structure.
Once the concrete cures, tumbled cedar burl offcuts (a byproduct from the local logging industry) ranging from 150-350mm in size, are bundled into large baskets and affixed into the concrete with steel rods, creating distinctive boulder-shaped modules. Over time, the homes will evolve, with the exposure to nature silvering the wood, and moss growing in the crevices, slowly reclaiming the structure, making it increasingly indistinguishable from the landscape.
Model images by Fahim Kassam, Renders courtesy of Omer Arbel Office.