The clients came with a plan: buy a charming mid-century post and beam in one of North Vancouver's most desirable neighbourhoods and add onto it. It was a reasonable plan — until the site said otherwise. Careful investigation of the setbacks made clear that a practical addition simply wasn't possible within the regulatory envelope. Rather than deliver a compromised renovation, a better option was put on the table: build new.

It was a bigger decision, but the right one. The new design honours the spirit of the original mid-century post and beam with a modern interpretation of the style — the clean lines, the honest structure, the relationship between inside and outside that defines the best homes of that era, updated for the way families live today.

The case for building new only got stronger from there. A basement suite was incorporated into the design to generate rental revenue, offsetting the cost difference between renovating and rebuilding. The home is built to Net Zero ready standards — future-proofed against energy costs and built to last a lifetime rather than a generation. And the separate living space that serves as a rental suite today becomes something else entirely when the time comes: a comfortable, close, and dignified space for grandparents who need to be nearby.

What started as a renovation became a home the family will never need to leave.