DESIGNED TO COMPLIMENT THE SURROUNDING MOUNTAIN LANDSCAPE, THE ARCHITECTURAL LANGUAGE WAS BASED ON STRONG CONSTRASTS THAT MAINTAINED BALANCE BETWEEN FORM AND MATERIALITY. THE RESULTING RESIDENCE PORTRAYS A STRONG MODERN INDUSTRIAL CHARACTER, with a rugged nature that fits intrinsically within the built environment. From the outset, the intention was to design a home that felt as though it had organically emerged from the land, rather than being imposed upon it. The structure was imagined as a modest and reductive insertion into the natural environment, utilizing the typography to seamlessly transcribe the home into the landscape. From street, the front façade of the home was conceptualized to project an unobtrusive presence, with a low-profile and limited glazing to minimize visual impact and enhance privacy and seclusion. In contrast, the lakeside elevation would reveal the home’s true personality – expansive, light-filled, and intimately engaged with the landscape. The massing took cues from the natural layering of the hillside, resulting in a stepped composition that integrates into the terrain while maximizing views. This provided privacy toward the street while allowing the rear façade to cascade down the sloped grade, opening toward the lake views beyond. The design’s spatial magic lies in the guiding concept that all primary spaces of the residence were to be oriented toward the rear of the home to capture the panoramic views of the Okanagan lake. THE ESTATE WAS CONCEIVED AS A SELF-CONTAINED WATERFRONT RETREAT, THE STRUCTURE ON THE LEFT SERVES AS A CASITA, A PRIVATE REFUGE FOR GUESTS TO UNWIND AND ENJOY. Designed to celebrate the surrounding landscape, this residence is a stylish sanctuary that is meant to be felt, as much as seen.