The project site is a steep waterfront lot in West Vancouver: from street frontage to waterline, granite rock formations slope down 75 feet. Facing south across Burrard Inlet, the site offers spectacular views to downtown Vancouver, Stanley Park, Point Grey and UBC, and west to Vancouver Island. At the shoreline is a small, private sandy beach.

The client was interested in commissioning an ecologically-sustainable residence of large, open spaces that would also include a dedicated painting studio. The residence is distributed into three buildings-a garage, a main residence, and an art studio-all arranged around a drive court.

Programatically, the house is organized vertically, divided into three levels bridging from the driveway to the waterfront terraces. The entry foyer on the upper floor opens to the living room below and also offers glimpses of the shoreline, leading visitors down, away from the master bedroom. The main floor contains all public areas: living and dining rooms, kitchen, library, and family room. A guest suite, office, and wine cellar are located on the lowest level. Each of the three levels of the waterfront elevation is set back on a large deck and is, in turn, set back from the next horizontally, making for a stepped formation. From the lower floor, a series of terraces provides a link to the sandy beach.

The art studio rests among the rock outcrop at the highest point of the site. All roofs are planted green and all building conditioning is designed to be self-sustaining.