Rammed earth walls form the signature material for this single family home, located on beautiful Gabriola Island. Conceived as a high performance home, HRPE (high performance rammed earth) is constructed below an ultra insulated upper floor and gable roof. This efficient footprint, paired with a smart interior layout, delivered a design that connects its residents to its rural vernacular.
The property is constrained with a documented wetland area and an existing 300 foot deep well. As a result, the buildable area resulted in a very small, irregular part of the otherwise large property. The family of three desired a modest, open plan living space with intentional windows capturing views to the lush island property. Existing mature trees on the property were retained as a part of the design brief.
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Inspired by Japanese design, an oversized round window/window seat became a central feature in the living room and ultimately, a character-defining element of the design. Double height spaces enable nature light to flood the home, creating a sense of space within a compact floor plan.
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A Larsen Truss frame wall with blown cellulose insulation provide a continuous, thermal-bridge free, wall/roof transition. Made of recycled paper, blown cellulose is both a sustainable and low carbon insulation product which delivers excellent thermal performance. Used alongside HPRE, this envelope is designed to deliver high performance thermal comfort through a small environmental footprint.
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Status: Permitted, Unbuilt
Project team:
Architect: Fold Architects Inc
Structural: Metastruct
Contractor: Earthhouse Holding Inc
