Vancouver studio Patkau Architects
designed the 460-square-metre home for Martin and Sue Hadaway on a
steep slope in Whistler, a popular ski resort located 80 miles north of
Vancouver in British Columbia. The architects named the project Hadaway
House after the clients. The building's unusual faceted shape is the result of an awkwardly shaped, steep site situated between craggy boulders.
Concrete slabs enclosing the
ground floor of the house provide
insulation from the extremes of the Canadian climate, while the upper
levels are constructed from a steel and timber frame. The whole building
is clad with planks of ipe, a variety of hardwood typically grown in
parts of South and Central America. An open-plan living area featuring
sunken seating occupies the entire first floor of the building.
The faceted roof results in irregularly shaped walls and ceiling that are punctuated by slices of glazing. Large expanses of glass provide views over the Whistler Valley and
sliding doors lead onto a balcony that is sheltered by the overhang
of the roof. This sloping canopy is supported by a series of slanted columns and
fronted by a glass balustrade so as not to block the views from the
lounge.
