The project is located on the corner of 19th street and 31 Ave SWW in Calgary’s Marda Loop area. While the site is prominent in the community, it was quickly determined that the house must present an open face to the public corner, while providing a place of quietude internally.

In addition, the clients stated a principle desire for the house to remain porous and light filled, gathering the strong Calgary light into all areas of the house. In order to address the conflicting needs of porosity and privacy, the design utilized a system of layering beginning with the exterior landscape and continuing inside the house through carefully locating elements such as millwork blocks and staircases.

The plan is ‘L’ shaped, opening to the northwest. Sited in this way to catch the summer afternoon sun, the private courtyard is both light filled and private. The main floor consists largely of glazing, but buffered through careful location of landscape elements as well as positioning the central stair to subdivide the house internally into a semi-public perimeter space as well as a semi-private inner volume.

The upper floor contains private functions and is buffered through location and size of glazing units, opening significantly more to the interior courtyard. Designed in collaboration with Tara Murray.