Floating House by SMStudio
The Floating House sits on bedrock on the western ridge of Bowen Island, a 20 minute ferry crossing from Vancouver's Horseshoe Bay. Two historic burnt out old growth stumps frame the site like sentinels, and SMStudio founder Simon Montgomery positioned the house directly between them. The building was not placed on the land so much as fitted into it.
The form is simple. A steeply pitched standing seam metal roof over cedar clad walls that are weathering naturally into the palette of the surrounding Douglas firs. A cantilever lifts the structure slightly off the bedrock, creating a shadow gap at the base that gives the house its name and its sense of floating above the clearing. At 2,304 square feet of interior space on a one acre site, it reads smaller from outside than it lives inside. That surprise is intentional.
The plan splits into two wings. Living spaces occupy the northern side with the kitchen, dining, and living room oriented to capture afternoon sun through a seven foot sliding glass wall that opens fully onto a 560 square foot west facing deck. A wood burning stove anchors the living room beside a picture window overlooking the trees. Skylights draw light down through the vaulted ceiling and shift its character throughout the day. The kitchen runs an eleven foot window above the sink with a skylight directly over the countertop and an adjacent pantry.
The private wing to the south holds three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a laundry room, and an office. The primary suite includes a walk in closet and ensuite that are sized well beyond what the exterior suggests. Secondary bedrooms are similarly generous, each with its own forest outlook.
Materials run warm throughout. Douglas fir plywood ceilings, rafters, flooring, and a full custom millwork package by Steve Cruden. Caesarstone counters and backsplashes in every kitchen and bathroom. Polished concrete flooring in the entry corridor transitions to timber in the living spaces. Cascadia window systems, A-N-D light column pendants, Phylrich faucets, and Casson cabinet hardware complete the interior.
The landscape is as considered as the building. Blast rock from construction was reintegrated into the gardens as steps for the deck and entrance stairs. A wind garden off the kitchen is planted with Mexican feather grass and Gaura designed to move with the breeze. A moss garden was cultivated on the rock outcrop framed by the entry where bare rock used to be. Hiking trails begin at the back door and King Edward Bay beach is a short walk downhill.
