6 minute read
WHISTLER HOMES: A Breath of Fresh Air
A BREATH OF FRESH AIR
MODERN HOME USHERS IN A NEW ERA OF MOUNTAIN LIVING IN ALPINE MEADOWS
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LEFT: ORIENTED TO MAXIMIZE THE PANORAMIC MOUNTAIN VIEW, THE MAIN LIVING SPACE OPENS TO A GENEROUS SPLIT-LEVEL DECK.
RIGHT: WITH AN OPEN PLAN, CAREFUL ATTENTION WAS TAKEN TO CREATE DEFINITION AND WARMTH TO DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE SPACE. when stephanie and sean crozier first visited the vacant, rocky lot in Whistler’s Alpine Meadows neighbourhood, they knew they wanted to build a home that would honour the place on which it stood.
“Sean and I are drawn to architecture that creates an immersive experience of design and nature,” says Stephanie Crozier. “When we walked the lot with Seamus [of Cayoosh Construction], the views of Blackcomb and Whistler were absolutely breathtaking, and we knew we needed to form this experience in the main living space.”
STORY BY LAURA NEWTON PHOTOS BY EMA PETER
LEFT: A CUSTOM “CUMULUS CLOUD” CHANDELIER FLOATS ABOVE THE MODERN DINING
TABLE, PROVIDING AN INTERESTING FOCAL POINT IN THE SPACE WITHOUT ADDING HEFT. ABOVE: A GENEROUS THREE- STOREY ENTRANCE ATRIUM DRAWS IN PLENTY OF
NATURAL LIGHT.
TOP RIGHT: CUSTOM LIGHTING IS INTEGRATED THOUGHTFULLY INTO THE MILLWORK
THROUGHOUT THE HOME TO PROVIDE WARM AMBIENCE.
BOTTOM: A PALETTE OF BLACK, WHITE AND GREY IS KEPT SOFT AND WELCOMING BY WARM WOOD TONES.
completed in january 2020, the 4,250 square-foot home, which was designed by the award-winning, Vancouver-based architectural firm Frits de Vries Architects, utilizes clean lines, purposeful angles, and plenty of glass to incorporate the landscape and focus panoramic views, providing a sense of place through the lens of modern mountain living. It’s a fresh perspective within the longestablished neighbourhood.
“This is a first of its kind in Alpine, where the design and build really pushed the benchmark in a neighbourhood where you see more traditional mountain properties,” says John Ryan of The Whistler Real Estate Company. “It has really set the tone for new builds there, showcasing a true appreciation of viewpoints and a contemporary mountain design approach.”
As builder Seamus Quinn of Cayoosh Construction explains, “the home was built around the site’s natural bedrock. Instead of blasting it all out, as would commonly be the case, the entry was shaped around it.” The result is a glass entryway that runs parallel to this exposed natural feature, opening into a generous threestorey entrance atrium that draws in plenty of natural light. >>
TOP LEFT: CUSTOM CABINETRY AND MILLWORK THROUGHOUT THE HOME CREATE ARCHITECTURAL DEFINITION AND PROVIDE A NATURAL FEELING. TOP RIGHT: CUSTOM LIGHTING AND A SOAKER TUB WITH SOFT LINES SETS A WARM AND RELAXING TONE WITHIN THE MASTER SUITE’S BATHROOM. BOTTOM LEFT: THE NATURAL ROCK FEATURES ON THE LOT DICTATED THE HOUSE’S DESIGN.
“it was important for us to incorporate the beauty of the rock the house was built on. One of our favourite parts of the house is the way the glass at the entry level celebrates the organic beauty of the rock and surrounding foliage,” says Crozier.
The remainder of the home’s angled plan arrangement was also sculpted by the surrounding natural context.
“The form of the home was driven largely by its access to light,” says Neil Harper of Frits de Vries, explaining that a model of the sun’s path around the site at various times of year was used to determine the optimal placement of four bedrooms along the quiet forested area at the rear of the home, while the master suite, main living area, and large deck were oriented to maximize the panoramic view that stretches from Wedge Mountain to Whistler Mountain.
The home’s main level was designed for entertaining, notes Harper. “The large openplan kitchen, dining, and living areas all open out onto the generous split-level deck, which is connected at the lower level to the master suite.”
The extensive use of glass, supplied by Blackcomb Facade Technology, keeps the interior bright and connected with the outdoor living space year-round. “By having an open floor plan with large sliding doors which open up the wall facing this view, it brings the outside in,” says Crozier.
Meanwhile, an upper loft level off the main living area offers an additional flexible family area and a private deck. “The interplay of the split-section plan creates varying ceiling height and perceived volume throughout the home,” says Harper.
A palette of black, white, and grey is kept soft and welcoming by warm wood tones with bursts of rich, natural colours and plush soft furnishings. Crozier—an interior designer—carefully selected the moss green dining chairs and mohair chair in the living area, for example, to not only create a sense of warmth and comfort but also to connect the different spaces of the main living area while keeping their definition intact.
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“with such a modern and open design, it could be easy for things to feel cold or hard, so I wanted to make sure there was lots of texture throughout the home to keep things warm and inviting,” says Crozier.
In keeping with this approach, a custom “cumulus cloud” chandelier floats above the modern dining table. Juxtaposed against a textured backdrop of basalt-coloured millwork, the chandelier— comprised of individually suspended frosted glass panels lit from above—provides an interesting focal point in the space without adding heft. “The result is an animated soft light array that alludes to movement, catching subtle breezes from the adjacent deck,” says Harper.
Custom cabinetry by ESQ Design and millwork throughout the home create a cohesive, natural feeling, while artfully integrated ambient architectural lighting provides warmth and intimacy within larger spaces.
“The end result is a home driven in form by its context: a sophisticated space, highly functional and full of light, and truly connected to its surrounding topography,” says Harper, noting that several other modern, architectural homes have been designed in the Alpine Meadows neighbourhood since.
For the Croziers though, the project was a uniquely personal and creative journey. “We loved the entire process of creating this house together with the architects and our contractor. It was a collaboration that was exciting and rewarding from start to finish, because we all loved the challenge of bringing our creative ideas to life,” concludes Crozier. W
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