FLOATING HOUSE

Michael Elkan / John Sinal

• Architects

Inspired by Vancouver’s prominent “West Coast Fusion” culture, Floating House is a contemporary mix of eastern and western influences. The composition appears to float on a large reflecting pool within an oriental garden setting. A dynamic architectural wood sun screen shields the upper floor and acts as a privacy screen. Large expanses of glazing and sliding doors facilitate interconnected indoor/outdoor living spaces throughout the home.

The minimalist interior materials and detailing include cascading stone slab floors, floating ceilings, a suspended main stair of steel and hardwood, and a central staircase with a single offset steel stringer supporting cantilever wood treads that appear to float in front of a 30’ glass window. Floor-to-ceiling marble and glowing onyx fireplaces in the living room and master bedroom mask the structural column and create dramatic focal points within the home.

SUSTAINABILITY

The design of the home fully integrates both passive and active sustainable building strategies:

A system of large sliding doors allow the home to be opened for cross ventilation and passive cooling in the summer months;

The custom wood screen on the east and south exposures is designed to permit low sun angle penetration while blocking high sun angles. This facilitates light access in winter and provides shading in the summer months;

Projecting vertical concrete fin-walls also address low westerly sun angles in the summer months;

The large concrete west façade wall acts as a trombe wall, smoothing the temperature curve both in the summer and winter months;

The fully-automated smart home system allows for precise control and monitoring of the LED lighting and heating/cooling systems;

WINDOW FRAMES

Wood frames were specially engineered and manufactured at the (redacted name) University’s Advanced Wood Processing. The westerly fram spans 30’ high, while the southern and eastern frames span 20’. A seventy-ton mobile hydraulic crane installed the windows over two days.

CONCRETE FORM

Floating House’s architectural concrete envelope uses a completely unique white concrete mix custom developed exclusively for the project. This mix of limestone sand and Washington State aggregate is extremely quick-setting in character made it a very challenging mix to form, but provides its distinct character: a uniquely a bright, light, natural finish.

MATERIALS USED

1. Vent-a-hood TSLE (from trail appliances)

2. Miele:

a. La Perla G2872 SCVi

b. Advantage plus Washer (W4842) and Dryer (T98900)

c. Single Door Refrigerators (K1901Vi)

d. Single Door Freezers (F1811Vi)

3. Gaggenau: 200 series combi-steam wall oven

4. Concrete: Custom mix by Arno Matis

5. Bathroom Closet Doors: Italian smoked glass doors (Rimadesio).

6. Windows: Unison Windows, (Custom Glass)

7. Recessed lighting:Sistemalux