Hornby House
Location / Hornby Island
Project Type / Residential New Construction
Size / 2,300 sf
Work in progress
The Hornby Island Retreat is a two-bedroom private cabin tucked into the coastal forest at the edge of a high bank ocean front site. The 2,275 square-foot linear structure is situated on an old logging trail oriented parallel to the ocean’s edge. The site is densely forested, and every effort was made to minimize site disruption, removing as few trees as possible. The floor plan is conceived as a series of single-loaded arrangements of alternating interior and exterior spaces. There are two discrete sleeping quarters, located at opposite ends of the floor plan - each separated from the main structure by a covered breezeway.
The tectonic is inspired by the traditional pacific northwest ‘plank houses’ that were constructed by local First Nations with the primary structural members of the roof oriented parallel to the long axis of the space. This orientation of the structure accentuates the linear expression of the house, while also allowing generous cantilevers at the extents of the 150-foot-long roof. The primary consideration from a climate perspective is rainfall - the single large roof provides shelter for the clients to move through the series of indoor-outdoor spaces in the forest.
