Project: St. James Residence
Architects: Randy Bens
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Photographs by: Ema Peter
St. James Residence by Randy Bens
The St. James Residence in West Vancouver, Canada is a modern family home designed by architect Randy Bens. It provides more than shelter and comfort as well as it raises the bar on new home constructions in its area. The architect strived to design a home that comprises of natural elements which will make it not only look visually appealing but also warm, cozy and seamlessly connected to the outdoor areas that surround it.
The building faces two separate courtyards which resulted in an H-shape floor-plan in order to make the most out of them.
Located in West Vancouver, British Columbia this house has been designed around the idea of two courtyards.
The resulting H-shape creates a great variety of exterior spaces (moss garden to the north, and paved surfaces and reflecting pool to the south). The upper floor aligns with the center of the H, and cantilevers over both ends of the lower floor.
The cantilevers join the lower roofs making east and west facing porches. The result is a strong fascia / outline that travels both vertically and horizontally, defining the character of the house. The exterior materials are a composite panels with exposed fasteners (where there is no overhang), and stained cedar siding (where there is an overhang). The warmer wood material, with the finer scale, is close to you when you enter and exit the building. The flat, durable, grey panels form the wrapper.
