CEI Architecture have designed a modern house situated on the shores of Osoyoos Lake in British Columbia, Canada. This single-family residence was designed to suit the owner’s recreational lifestyle amid the natural setting of the Okanagan region. The house is set on a narrow lot limited by setbacks to a 30’ by 50’ area. The building incorporates minimal openings on the west side and is mostly transparent on the east, taking full advantage of the light bouncing off the lake. A flat roof provides opportunities to sit outside on an upper deck, which opens off a recreation room, with a full view of the water.

The building form is reminiscent of the early modernists. The building aesthetic is intended to be a simple and functional solution that responds to the semi-desert climate, the project’s budget and the waterfront context.

Due to the constraints of the site, spaces were stacked on one another to create a two-storey home, with a roof garden for relaxing or entertaining. Living spaces such as the living room, dining room and kitchen are located on the main floor, offering easy access to the lake. A guest bedroom and washroom are also located on the main floor. The living spaces benefit from the east exposure, which allows the morning sun to penetrate the spaces. In the evening the harsh summer sun is blocked by the solid south wall. The second floor includes all bedrooms, including the laundry and a recreation room off the roof garden.

The building incorporates passive strategies to control heat gain and minimize energy consumption. Natural ventilation relieves the house of heat gain by allowing a breeze to form between the lower and upper windows. The high water table makes it ideal to incorporate a ground-source heat pump and radiant floor heating. Shading is necessary to counter the hot summer sun of the Okanagan Valley. | CEI Architecture

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