Rockview House
The site is at the top of a granite cliff, offering expansive views to the south over Burrard Inlet and the City of Vancouver. To the north the mountains form a snowy backdrop and to the west a deep gully is flanked by tall conifers typical of the area. The house rests on top of the rock and is intended as a single storey platform for easy indoor and outdoor living. Spaces and circulation are strictly organized around a generous central courtyard, striking a balance between secluded areas for retreat and open communal spaces for gathering and connection.
The house employs architectural strategies common to the local mid-century vernacular. The siding is locally sourced band-sawn vertical stained cedar and floor-to-ceiling windows are positioned to connect inhabitants and the interior with nature and light. These ideas are borrowed from the modernists who experimented with design principles selected from history and re-imagined for contemporary life.
Featured in The Local Project
“Majestic views of the ever-changing natural environment – from vibrant sunsets over the Salish Sea and the lush landscapes of high summer to the snow-covered tree canopy in the depths of winter – unfold against this neutral canvas, placing the natural environment at the forefront of the experience.”
— Millie Thwaites, The Local Project, April 2026
The Best Room Has No Roof
The courtyard at the Rockview House is a protected outdoor refuge on an otherwise unprotected site. It is both an outdoor room and an enclosed garden that mediates the ever-changing climatic environment. It brings natural light deep into the plan and separates pavilions for gathering, sleeping and open-air living. It is a planning device that provides geometric order and hierarchical ranking to spaces. It prioritizes views by enabling a network of sightlines across the property and it is the space from which one can see city, the northern mountains and the sky above.
The Family
The house is for a young family to live, grow and experience north shore living. As it is our second house for them, we were able to carry forward an intrinsic understanding of their preferences, lifestyle and patterns of use. We were also able to apply many lessons learned from the first experience. We discovered, however, that a different site, new requirements and a new time in their lives instilled a freshness into the project that led to a new solution and a new beginning.
Project Information
Location / West Vancouver, British Columbia
Type / Single-family residence
Size / 5,800 sf
Status / Completed 2024
Architecture / Architecture Building Culture
Interiors and Décor / Sophie Burke Design
Contractor / Bradner Homes
Photography / Latreille Architectural Photography