Mermaid Sanctuary

Designed in 1985 by architect John Kay, this house is part of an idiosyncratic body of work that could be described as geometrically paradoxical, combining simple, rational layouts with seemingly freeform shapes. From the street, the house appears as a low-slung, single-story structure with a strong horizontal emphasis. The house, however, sits at the precipice of a steep cliff overlooking expansive ocean views and the surrounding mountains. At the centre of the plan is an obtusely angled opening that connects common living areas to an exterior deck overhanging the cliff edge and supported by a single, four-storey column.

Occupied by a couple with a deep respect for the home's modernist roots, we reimagined the interiors of the home to enhance functionality, and to re-introduce a west coast material palette of maple, fir, hemlock, cedar, plaster, and ceramic tile, congruous with the home's rocky, forested site. The project involved the reorganization and enhancement of spaces and a materiality that asserts a new character (and a bold reverence for colour) while seamlessly merging with the original architecture, resulting in a forest house that dreams of the ocean.