Lantern House | 2023

The house stands in quiet conversation with its surroundings, a measured presence beneath a canopy of mature oaks. It is an architecture of restraint, one that listens rather than imposes: to the rhythm of filtered light, the play of shadow on stucco walls, air drifting between volumes. On a generous lot in Vancouver’s Westside, the home is a sanctuary for a young family; a place to hold silence, shadow, and stillness in balance.

At its core is a central void — a clearing in the mass, like a break in the forest canopy — where light pools and filters into surrounding rooms. This space serves as both organizing principle and atmospheric anchor. Around it, rooms arrange themselves with informality, gradually revealing an underlying nine-square grid: a quiet structure felt more than seen.

The material palette is limited but expressive. Below, rough stucco catches light in shifting textures. Above, a cedar filigree forms a lantern-like screen that mediates views and enclosure. Board-formed concrete elements assert a tactile presence, slipping past the envelope to frame views, define thresholds, and quietly disrupt symmetry.

From the street, the house is enigmatic. A recessed wooden entry offers no view inward. A single band of veiled glass hints at life within. A concrete wall protects the office and side garden; a second volume at the rear defines a secluded breakfast alcove.

Inside, movement unfolds in sequence. A dark vestibule yields to a softly lit foyer. Then, the main space opens — light cascading from the void, modulating brightness through the day. A concealed hi-fi and record collection hide behind limewashed panels, allowing the living room to shift between listening room and gallery.

Materials were chosen for their ability to age. Polished concrete contrasts white oak; limewashed walls shift subtly in light. A sandstone island anchors the kitchen, bridging concrete and wood. Stainless-steel details remain quietly integrated.

Upstairs, the stair dims, limewash deepens, and light filters through the wooden screen. The bedrooms are calm and veiled. A hidden tub room — windowless, lined in grey plaster, lit only from above — concludes the journey.

A wild garden of native grasses surrounds the home. Passive strategies — deep recesses, operable skylights, screened apertures — ensure comfort with minimal intervention.

This is not an architecture of form, but of presence. A vessel for stillness, light, and the rituals of daily life.

Category:Private HomesYear:2023Location:British Columbia, CanadaArchitects:Leckie Studio Architecture + Design Inc.Lead Architects:Michael Leckie and James EidseDesign Team: Emily Dovbniak, Irena Jenei, Holden Korbin, Ian Lee, and Andrea ZittlauGeneral Contractor:Joe MacMullen, Adisa Homes, Vancouver, British Columbia, CanadaClient: PrivatePhotographer: Ema Peter