Bridgeview House, 2009
Description —
The house is located on a steeply sloping, wooded site with granite boulder outcrops, on the outskirts of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Composed of two blocks that appear to have slid down the slope, the house nestles into the land. Between the two forms a bridge threshold slides into the plan and links the house to the street. In section, fenestration separates the two forms, while a stair element braces the building and roots it to the ground.
Wanting to experience the site at many levels organized the house as a four-storey plan stepping from the road to the forest floor, with every part of the plan accessible. Outdoor gathering/play areas have been created on the roof, among the treetops; on the deck and bridge that extends from the main living space; and between the granite boulders littered on the forest floor.
This project explores local material traditions within a modern aesthetic. The house is constructed from conventional 2x6 platform framing on a concrete foundation. Birch cabinets, stairs and doors quietly contrast the white gypsum walls, stainless steel counters and polished concrete floors. The exterior cladding is a tight skin of eastern cedar shingles with woven corners. The courses are sculpted to the land’s changing topography.
Like most of the work, the project was a speculative research project for architect and builder and the house was sold soon after construction. The limited budget necessitated a pragmatic design approach for this home and a small footprint. Early investigation on the site by the design-build team shaped the floor plans to eliminate the need for any rock removal and limit tree destruction on the site.
