Nestled on a precious 3.1-acre oceanfront property in British Columbia, stands the Gulf Islands' Residence. The home is designed by the brilliant minds at RUF Project for a client who wished for a combination between the rustic Canadian log cabin and a modernist glass villa. His wish was RUF Project's command!

 

 

 

 

With that in mind, the design elements of the Gulf Islands' Residence were carefully chosen to create a new style of the regional cabin architecture. Both the log cabin and glass villa models were represented in the home's form, materiality, and spatial organization.

 

 

 

 

The aesthetic of the First Nations' Long House  style is evident in the material reliance on timber, wood finishes, and the post-and-beam-construction of the project. My favourite feature that carried over is the inclusion of exposed timber structural members. I think they give the house a very solid and structural feel.

 

 

 

 

The modernist home is also well defined in the open floor plans, flat roofs, interior-exterior links, and the minimal material palette.

 

 

 

 

And finally, my favourite part of this home is the use of extensive glazing that takes advantage of the compelling views surrounding the property.

 

 

 

 

Working with the topography, RUFproject also worked to protect and enhance the form in which it was created. This means that the shape was created in two parts — a solid stone base sunk into the ground and a light timber “bridge” resting on the stone. This produced a minimal footprint and maintains a high level of environmental performance on the site. 

 

 

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This bridge form allows native grasses and flora to grow underneath with little-constructed disturbance. The concept for the extensive landscape work included the introduction of more native plants to enhance the existing woodland while reducing maintenance requirements. 

 

 

 

 

RUFproject has come up with a beautiful variation on the BC modern log cabin. The setting is tranquil, and the construction and materiality are impeccable. The landscape was done with immense attention to detail and the interiors are warm and cosy. 

 

 

 

 

The Gulf Islands' Residence pays strong homage to its setting and inspirations. The strong horizontals of the heavy timbers reference the horizon, and the extensive fenestration opens the house to stunning the panoramic views of the sea. This home speaks to the firm's emphasis on space and environment and they handled it flawlessly.

Please check out more of the amazing work from RUFproject.

We have the talented Ivan Hunter to thank for these photographs.

 

Did you like this post? Here's two more magnificent masterpieces in British Columbia featured on houseporn.ca;

Luminescence and the Lefebvre-Smyth Residence.

 

Researched and Written by Yinoluwa Olowofoyeku, Undergraduate Student of Architectural Design at the University of Toronto