ROSEHILL HOUSE
Saanich, BC
For this new 600sm house, the owners, avid environmentalists and engineers, wished to incorporate sustainable experimental materials, energy generation, water conservation and subsistence farming on a disturbed large site located at the southern edge of a regional park. They wanted integration with the natural features, and to exploit views, sun exposure and topography, in a ‘solid’ home, without traditional wood frame construction.
The design parti was set by a structure bridging between two large rock outcroppings. This formed the main living floor and is over a glass-enclosed swimming pool, that opens to the lower-level gardens. The main entrance is on the upper floor and large walk-out terraces that connect to the tops of the surrounding rock formations. An interior stair and elevator, and cast concrete steps and various platforms outside, connect the house to lower gardens and forest pathways. The living, kitchen and dining spaces are spatially defined by roof/ ceiling form and height, as well as interior finishes including stone, concrete, and wood. The main exterior walls and interior partitions are hemp-fibre and lime-cement- block construction, used for its insulating properties, breathability, strength, as well as to naturally regulate temperature and humidity. Roof-mounted photovoltaics, and a large shallow geothermal field below the gardens, collect energy for battery storage and use. Aluminum-clad wood-framed windows and doors are triple glazed to achieve Passive House performance.
Consultant Team:
Collaborating Designer: Bo-Form/ Chris Foyd
Builder: Rannala-Freeborn Constructio
Hemp-Block System: JBFblock
Landscape: Biophilia Collective
Photo Credits: Jody Beck
