Pearl Block is a compact cluster of six rowhouses. Staggered in response to the unusual triangular site, the building's form modifies a common housing type to give each resident a generous street outlook. This neighbourly gesture preserves the privacy of the surrounding homes and enhances the privacy afforded to each Pearl Block unit. The project brief was to create 4–6 new rowhouses for young families who appreciate the qualities of single-family homes but are also interested in living more compactly and sustainably. These desires, along with the ever-increasing cost of real estate, provide an incentive to explore an architectural type in search of an ideal scale for family homes in the city.
The resulting project serves as a case study in typological exploration, modifying the typical and flawed side-yard-facing rowhouse by reorienting the living spaces in each home away from the nearby neighbours. This gesture is based on sound urban design principles, putting more eyes on the public realm and clearly showing how the building comprises six households. Chunky, deeply-textured stucco walls refer to Victoria's finest turn-of-the-century houses, functioning like horse blinders to edit views in and out—the lighting inside each rowhouse projecting a sense of the individual and the community to anyone passing by. This approach demonstrates newness and tradition, working together with quiet confidence.
Strategic placement of windows and balconies enhances the project's respect for privacy. Small balconies to the south are low and screened with railings to limit views between these rowhouses and adjacent homes. The windows of each rowhouse's bedrooms and hallways are modest and directed away from neighbours. Large sliding doors and windows provide ample light to the living areas but are deeply inset to prevent overlook. The L-shaped plans enhance safety and security through strong prospect and refuge orientation. Little nooks and crannies generated by the plan give this modern building the sort of quirks that make traditional architecture appealing.
Each rowhouse has its roof deck, serving as the "backyard." High parapets, the same height as a typical fence in single-family communities, surround these decks. The height allows all rowhouse occupants to sit in the sun, BBQ and eat a summer meal, or let children play in the fresh air while wholly hidden. The interiors have a modest material palette. They are primarily white with some black millwork to downplay inevitable countertop clutter. Inside each rowhouse, a single unpainted steel column is exposed, functioning as an impromptu magnet pole for children's art. Plywood stair stringers are oversized to become wood-grained guardrails that conceal handprints. The bathrooms are a family-friendly beige to minimize upkeep and introduce warmth to the most private spaces.
