catton-house: Catton House, West Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Designed 1967 with Geoffrey Massey
The site is a steep rock face with an excellent outlook over Georgia Strait. The design solution is comprised of a series of platforms stepping with the grade. A glass wall defines the indoor and outdoor portions of the platforms and a rock sloping with the site protects the platforms. With easy access to the land denied by the nature of terrain, decks were incorporated into the framework of the building.
The house accommodates the needs of two generations: the glassed-in living room, focusing on an angular fireplace, whose lines repeat those of the ceiling, shares the main level with the dining area, kitchen, and master bedroom suite; the children's quarters are upstairs.
The view is gradually introduced from the entry of the house through a blank wall and descends to the lowest level until the final panorama is exposed. The basic cladding material, exterior and interior is 1" x 3" cedar, oak floors, mahogany doors and cabinets are similarly treated.
Photo by John Fulker
