2008 / Complete / Residential / Renovation / 1200 ft²

This project consisted of a gut renovation of a 1200 sf condo in West Vancouver.  The existing narrow space was laden with small, discontinuous and natural light deprived spaces.  Extensive ceiling drops, necessary to conceal electrical and mechanical services, reduced the ceiling to 7′-0″ in the core of the unit, further burdening the space.

Design strategies for the home, focused on the subtraction and manipulation of existing walls and ceilings. In the kitchen, one wall was removed to open up the space to the dining area, while another was shortened to allow natural light to spill into the adjacent, formerly isolated hallway. The new enlarged white on white kitchen, anchored by a teak storage cube, is reoriented for efficiency and interaction with adjacent spaces. In front of the sink and within the existing bay window space, an integral planter with tall grasses obscures views to/from the adjacent building. Sliding, translucent glass panels allow the user to further manipulate privacy and natural light levels.
The introduction of a high, frameless glass panel on the wall between the main entry and bathroom allows natural light to penetrate what was once a dark, isolated space while maintaining privacy. A similar strategy was utilized in the master bathroom, where a vertical slot of glass is inserted into the wall, bringing in natural light while providing a means for the eye to stretch across the adjoining master bedroom and to the distant mountains beyond.

The newly framed dropped ceiling further promotes the feeling of expansive, light and free flowing space, and plays an active role in defining the new home. Separated from the main ceiling and walls by deep, continuous reveals, the crisp, thin dropped ceiling plane appears to float in the space. The new lighting scheme was designed to eliminate the need for the extra depth required for conventional recessed lighting and consists of a grid of fixtures that are semi recessed within alcoves carved into the shallow ceiling plane.

• Credits
• Build / Camelot Construction
• Photography / Ivan Hunter