MLS ID: 940748
Listing Agents: Nicole Eastman, Paul Hague, Christa Elizabeth Frosch
Link: sothebysrealty.ca/en/property...
Presenting the offering of an architecturally significant home on North Pender Island - the Point House by notable West Coast Modern architects Bo Helliwell and Kim Smith of Blue Sky Architecture. This exquisite waterfront home is situated on a 105 acre estate on North Pender Island. The estate overlooks Navy Channel and faces towards the sun-illuminated mountains of Mayne Island. The property includes a sustainable farm, the shoreline of Davidson Bay, a fifty foot dock, an idyllic pond, and acres of untouched old-growth forest. The property is notably excluded from Canada's Foreign Buyer Ban.
The house is reached by traveling down a narrow road on the west side of the property, twisting through a mature forest. After meandering around the final bend and down a gentle slope, the home’s site is found at a vantage point jutting into the Salish Sea. The Point House sits where the land flattens out to a meadow, surrounded by Fir, Arbutus and Maples. The home was conceived and shaped by its dramatic site and formed to capture light and views following Blue Sky Architecture’s design principles.
01. The Design Philosophy
Blue Sky Architecture designs spaces in a way that is rooted in place, inspired by curiosity, responsive to natural forces and which seeks physical, emotional, and spiritual connections between people and places. Their defining characteristic is their use of curved lines and organic forms. On the principle that there are very few straight lines and boxes in nature, Blue Sky designs with fluid and nonlinear forms. Their homes integrate with landscapes and produce sensual and embracing spaces, breaking down barriers between environment and built form.
Additionally, Blue Sky designs homes with the unique environment of the Pacific Northwest in mind. They seek guidance from the site for a sense of place, letting the lines of the land guide the building forms. They capture light, recognizing that in the often grey-skied Pacific Northwest, natural light is essential. They also design for all seasons and weather, celebrating the coastal rains rather than resisting them. Their fluid designs gather and direct rainwater, integrating it into the essence of the house.
02. The Magnificent Point House
The remarkable 7,000 square foot Point House follows the curve of the shoreline, optimizing views north and east. The south elevation opens to the sun and a landscaped entry court. Entering at the centre of the home, an indoor/outdoor space divides the plan into social and family spaces on one side, with guest and service spaces on the other. A study space on a second floor provides a private working space with spectacular vistas to the sea and forest.
Spaces in the home are focused on sea views and are formed by undulating rooflines. The roof construction is Douglas Fir glulam rafters set at prescribed heights to create organic curving roofs, finished with 2x6 Fir decking bent into place. The curves of the roof gently direct rainwater in streams to capture points in the ground below. Fine wood craftsmanship by Dave Dandeneau of Gulf Island Artisan Homes is featured throughout.
The living room and dining room are a large, open, arched space. They focus on the spectacular Gulf Island views. Here, the natural materials, structure, and superb craftsmanship are brought into focus. These soaring spaces are articulated by a curving beam held by a shaped fir column and anchored by a large split-granite fireplace.
Secondary spaces are contained under a low slope roof on the forest side of the home. Above this lower roof and the hallway, continuous clerestory windows provide cross ventilation, natural light for the halls, and balance the light in the main spaces.
Interior floors are finished with wide plank European White Oak and Pietra Piasentina stone tiles. All bathrooms have Pietra Piasentina stone detailing. All doors are custom made from wide planks of European White Oak. Interior walls are finished with lime paint, rendering them with a soft suede-like look. To complement the Fir window detailing and structural components, all trims are done with clear Fir.
Exterior walls are a combination of conventional frame and timber framing. The exterior finish is red cedar shakes, stone and glass. Inv...