Windsor Road House

This 1680sf home is located on a small corner lot in the heart of Oak Bay, nestled among the street lined oak trees. The architect was inspired by the traditional design elements of the surrounding neighbourhood and gave the design a contemporary form with a clarity and alignment of spaces, definition of the form and character as well as a strong relationship between the interior and exterior of the home.
The beauty of simplicity is the guiding design principal for this house design, starting with a symmetrical form and interior layout were designed to be anchored by a ‘recessed’ central entrance, exterior canopy and interior U-shaped staircase. Essential to the character and experience of the space are large, two-storey black framed, grided windows in the gables and in the central recessed entrance, allowing abundant daylight throughout the home and a strong connection to the outdoor spaces and oak trees. This was made possible by aligning all of the bedroom ensuites, walk-in-closets, kitchen and laundry spaces along the east wall, and opening all of the living spaces towards the oak trees and gardens. The living room was designed as the heart and sanctuary of the home in a semi open space with a gas fireplace, vaulted ceiling and a direct connection to the outdoor living room. Exposed wood oak beams in the living room and entry create the visual thresholds between the interconnected spaces within the open plan.
As the bylaws greatly restricted the allowable area of the home, the design offered a larger main floor footprint, with a one-storey, vaulted living room and increased useable space with main floor living for aging-in-place home, with a bedroom or den, with ensuite, closet and laundry. The local bylaws also restricted the allowable building height, in order to raise the ceilings the architect designed for the upper bedrooms to have vaulted ceilings as well as creating a sunken patio off of the living room to connect the indoor and outdoor living spaces at the same floor level.
This sustainable design features of this home include a small home on a small lot, renewable wood frame construction, concrete topping/radiant floor heating, heat recovery ventilator, engineered hardwood flooring, high performance BC manufactured windows, locally made entry door, local cedar cladding, and was tested for air tightness during construction.

Architect, Design team: Carolynn Wilson, Carolynn Wilson Architect Ltd.
Interior Designer: Jodi Foster Design + Planning. Jodi Foster and Carly Neal
Structural Engineer: SPAR Consultants Structural Engineers
Contractor/Developer: Maximilian Huxley Construction Ltd.
Photos: Tony Colangelo Photography
Lot Size: 558sm
Building Size: 163sm