Read the full editorial feature on Kinglet Perch by The Local Project.
Read the feature on Kinglet Perch by The Vancouver Sun.
House beside a Kinglet Perch
The most conventional place to build was a flat area lower on the property. Reaching it would have required a new road, extensive excavation, and blasting through the bedrock, with the loss of mature ponderosa pines along the way.
Instead, the house was placed near the top of the site, between the pine grove and the point where the land falls sharply toward Okanagan Lake. This kept construction close to the existing access and allowed the lower portion of the property to remain largely undisturbed.
The house is the result of a series of practical decisions about access, ground, climate, and view. Its most recognizable feature, the living space extending over the slope, is the consequence of those decisions rather than an isolated gesture.
The street side is quiet and contained. From the entry, the house passes a sheltered courtyard before opening toward the lake. The courtyard provides an outdoor room protected from the exposed slope, while the living spaces extend into the pine canopy and the view beyond. A hemlock ceiling continues beneath the exterior soffit, connecting the rooms inside with the covered terrace.
White stucco and weathering steel form a non-combustible exterior suited to the dry, wildfire-prone hillside. Neither material relies on a painted or stained finish that must be regularly reapplied. Deep overhangs control summer sun, while the placement of windows balances daylight, views, privacy, and solar gain.
Field Notes: Kinglet Perch
Siting on a Steep Okanagan Hillside
The lower bench offered the easiest place to set a conventional foundation, but it was not the least disruptive place to build. A house in that location would have required a long driveway cut across the slope, substantial rock removal, and the clearing of established ponderosa pines.
Locating the house near the upper edge of the site reduced the length of access, concentrated construction within a smaller area, and preserved the lower bench and pine grove. The building sits between stable ground near the road and the steeper land falling toward the lake.
Avoiding Blasting
The selected location allowed blasting to be eliminated entirely. Limited chipping of the bedrock was required to gain additional space around the mechanical room, but the broader form of the site remained intact.
Avoiding blasting reduced excavation, truck traffic, noise, and the amount of fractured rock that would otherwise have needed to be managed on the property. It also allowed the design to respond more closely to the existing ground rather than reshaping the site to suit a conventional building platform.
Foundations on Discontinuous Bedrock
The foundations were initially designed with the expectation that bedrock would remain relatively continuous beneath the house. During excavation, the rock was found to fall away beneath portions of the building.
The foundation system was adjusted to include reinforced concrete grade beams spanning between reliable areas of bedrock. This allowed the house to remain in its chosen position without additional excavation or a fundamental change to the design.
Cantilever and Steel V-Strut
The living area projects beyond the steepest part of the slope, where a conventional foundation would have required more excavation and concrete. A steel V-strut transfers the outer load back toward the building and the available bearing points.
The structure allows the room to extend toward the lake while keeping most of the building supported near the upper portion of the site. The cantilever is therefore both a spatial and a site-management strategy.
Courtyard and Exposure
The lake-facing side of the property is open to afternoon sun, wind, and long views. The courtyard is placed on the protected side of the house, where the building provides shade, privacy, and shelter.
Moving between the courtyard and the lake-facing rooms gives the house two distinct outdoor conditions: one contained and protected, the other open to the slope and horizon. The plan allows occupants to choose between them as the weather and season change.
Wildfire-Resistant Exterior Materials
The exterior combines cementitious stucco and unfinished weathering steel. Both materials are non-combustible and suited to a site exposed to summer heat and wildfire risk.
The weathering steel develops a stable oxide layer without paint, while the stucco does not depend on stains or coatings that require regular renewal. Dust and bird residue can be washed away when needed, but there are no exterior finishes that must be routinely reapplied.
Solar Control and Energy Performance
The house was designed to meet Step 4 of the BC Energy Step Code. Window placement and overhang depth were studied together so that glazing could provide daylight and winter solar gain while remaining shaded during the hotter months.
The courtyard, roof overhangs, and orientation of the main rooms help moderate summer exposure. These passive measures work with the building envelope and mechanical systems to maintain comfort through the Okanagan’s hot, dry summers and colder, overcast winters.
Interior and Exterior Material Continuity
Hemlock lines the main ceiling and continues beneath the exterior soffit. Using the same material across the enclosure reinforces the relationship between the living room and the covered terrace without asking the exterior wood to perform as the building’s primary weathering surface.
The more exposed walls remain stucco and steel, while wood is concentrated in protected areas where it can retain its warmth and character with less maintenance.
That decision shaped the building. The main living space extends beyond the slope, supported by a steel V-strut and foundations bearing on several areas of bedrock. The cantilever was not the starting point for the design. It followed from placing the house where it could preserve the trees, avoid a new road, and eliminate blasting.
