The house is located in Uplands, a garden suburb of Oak Bay, Victoria that was planned by John Olmsted, the son of landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. The site, defined by Uplands Park and the adjacent Uplands Golf Course, is in a neighbourhood of large lots with manicured lawns that contrast with craggy rock outcrops, meadows, and mature stands of Garry Oaks. The street is defined by bungalows from the 1950s and 1960s. 

The clients, a professional couple with school and university-aged children, had lived in Vancouver but were attracted to Victoria’s moderate climate and relaxed pace of life. The mother of one of the clients intends to live independently in the house during the winter. The site is oriented east-west; the house has been situated between mature Garry Oaks to the east and rock outcroppings to the west. Living spaces and a pool are organized to enclose a lushly planted courtyard. The house is low-slung, planned with two distinct zones connected by an entry bridge and a stair. These divide the house into private and public wings. All interior spaces are defined by concrete floors, white walls, and curved ceilings. 

Two continuous clerestory light monitors bring south light and sunshine into the heart of the house and define a series of sculptural rooms. Each room has a strong connection to the seasons. A home office projects out over a basement entry and offers glimpses of the landscape. The master bedroom is focused on the backyard and has privacy from living areas. A workshop and playroom are located below the main living area. 

This project responds to the generic suburban language of double garages, large windows facing the street, chimneys, and dominant roof lines by abstracting these elements. The design turns inward, to create a cloistered house that exaggerates the site’s existing microclimate. With an iron- oxide stucco exterior that references the commonplace brick and cement stucco seen in historic Victoria, this new house seems older than it is.