Oceanview House
Perched above the inlet of Howe Sound, Oceanview House unfolds through a series of light-filled rooms and outdoor spaces. A three-storey bamboo courtyard anchors the home, while sweeping coastal views and lush greenery envelop the property.
Few elements shape a home as powerfully as an uninterrupted ocean view. Designed by Chris Hunter of hunterOFFICE Architecture, Oceanview House overlooks Howe Sound from a steep coastal site north of Vancouver. The clients wanted the pool, garden and outdoor spaces to connect directly with the land, prompting Hunter to arrange the home across three levels. Bedrooms occupy the upper entry level, while the living, dining and kitchen spaces sit below, gathered around a soaring bamboo atrium and opening onto a covered terrace.
Rather than flattening the steep site, Hunter designed the house to step down with the natural slope. This reduced the amount of excavation required, while the central staircase guides occupants through the home and towards the water.
The slope also dictated an unconventional construction sequence. The house had to be built from the lowest level upwards so excavators could continue to access and leave the site. The infinity pool and lower terraces were constructed first, followed by the lowest floor. The second level is supported by four large steel beams that cantilever 3.5 metres to carry the terrace beyond the kitchen and living spaces.
At the heart of the home, the three-storey atrium offers an inward-looking counterpoint to the expansive ocean views. “The atrium is central to the house and was part of the concept from the beginning,” Hunter says. “It creates glimpses of a planted courtyard from every level and shapes a sequence of arrival, enclosure and eventual ocean views.” Positioned at the centre of the plan, it separates spaces while maintaining a sense of connection. “We chose giant timber bamboo sourced from Oregon because it could grow tall and straight within such a constrained space. A tree would branch too widely and resist regular pruning, whereas the bamboo naturally grows upwards.”
For the exterior and interior palette, Hunter selected low-maintenance materials designed to weather naturally in the coastal setting. “All the glazing is triple-paned, which helps with the western sun exposure,” he adds. Locally sourced hemlock tongue-and-groove ceilings are paired with exposed cast-in-place concrete, anodised aluminium window frames, cedar battens, structural steel and broad expanses of glass.
Hunter worked with Inform Interiors and Vancouver furniture brand Bensen to furnish the home. For the lighting, the architect avoided recessed spots wherever possible, instead treating each fixture as a sculptural element, with designs from Andlight, Flos and Bocci.
The elongated fireplace anchors the panoramic living area; its low, dark form preserves the view towards Howe Sound. “Its horizontal form suits the proportions of the room while leaving space for future artwork above,” Hunter says. The fireplace also incorporates a credenza that can function as a bar or a music corner, before continuing onto the deck to accommodate the barbecue and outdoor kitchen.
Japanese maples, mature rhododendrons and native conifers give the landscape a layered character. Several of the maples and other unusual specimens were transplanted from another property owned by the client, where they had been cultivated by a horticulturalist. Along the neighbouring creek, Douglas firs, cedars and hemlocks create a sense of being near a forest.
“In summer, the gardens are in bloom and the sunsets linger until 9.30pm, giving the pool deck an almost Californian atmosphere. Autumn brings fog and vivid foliage, while spring marks the return of sunlight and new growth after the long winter.”
