Some of Canada’s best-loved design vernacular is captured within the historic walls of urban dwellings that continue to attract visitors. architect brian o’brien Of work officeIn collaboration with interior designer gillian segalCombines the country’s rich architectural achievements with an attractive residential renewal project in Vancouver’s vibrant Annex neighbourhood. Here, a distinctive heritage is fused with modern simplicity for a contemporary Victorian-era informed abode through Art Deco detailing. Bold geometry, striking forms and bold colors all help bridge the gap between past and present visual languages and leave room for future conversation.
Rather than contradicting this, O’Brien’s structural solution takes advantage of the eccentric structure of the main facade, incorporating some distinctive pieces original to the house’s construction. The angled wall away from the front elevation and the previously under-utilised bay window on the south side of the building are integral to its current expression as well as a reconstituted relationship to the local context with its physical presence and detail.
O’Brien says, “I would say I’m more interested in working with and emphasizing the quirks and peculiarities of buildings than in removing or rationalizing them.” “In plan, the bay window was extended within its contained enclosure. That circle became a single rotunda of space that extended from ceiling to ceiling of the first floor. Tangents and additional curves and circles radiate from that rotunda and wind throughout the house.
The house’s curved partitions celebrate circulation as they vertically stabilize volumes while providing cues for lateral movement through curved tendrils extending into different rooms – features that reflect Segal’s ethos. “We often live in such straightforward spaces, where curves always speak to me with their warmth, softness and feminine grace that they radiate,” she says. “provide an excellent comparison.”
The 3,900-square-foot residence is typical of modern neo-construction as it opens up programmatically: a vast open kitchen, dining and living space on the ground floor; Bedroom and a study on the first floor; Guest and master suites on the second floor; And on the lower level there is a lounge and gym. Spatial and aesthetic solutions, as teased out externally, are delightfully nuanced.
The clients, a family of four, invite excitement and intrigue with treatments carefully crafted by Segal to create interest by the tension between existing elements and contemporary concepts. Stained wainscoting and cement tile applied in a classic checkerboard pattern reference historical traditions while unexpected textures, exposed walls and unique approaches to daylight appeal to contemporary sensibilities. Deep reds, deep greens and deep blues exude opulence primarily from cabinets, countertops, carpets and upholstery in public areas, in contrast to more private spaces immersed in dreamy hues or creamy off-whites.
Destructive home decor also raises awareness of conflict as it is present in the home. Although suspicious looking, the silver ‘chainmail’ chairs are surprisingly comfortable. And light fixtures by Anna Carlin and Josef Hoffmann nod to the Art Deco era without being ostentatious, resulting in sculptural forms.
“This project was a very paired-down, modern interpretation – the focus was on things. Well organized form. Rich, bold and unique physicality. Whereas something really authentic to Art Deco would be groundbreaking in today’s world,” explains Segal. “Using and reinterpreting select components for this project created something that feels so warm, bold, special and timeless.”
To see more work from our collaborators, visit gilliansegaldesign.com And worksoffice.com,
by photography emma peter And Scott Norsworthy,
