When the Howe Sound’s frequent fog and rain disappear for a few precious hours, the Cliffhanger House will be visibly perched on the side of its steep rocky mountainside. Since the 1960s, the rugged site with a view was considered unbuildable, so it sat empty while owned by multiple optimists. The building is designed to be a quiet object standing apart from the surrounding rainforest. Like a lighthouse or a forest ranger’s lookout, the house has horizontal and vertical formal symmetry that is not of its time.
The project’s architectural aloofness will hopefully make it feel inevitable and industrial, nodding to the large and repetitive hydro towers that flank the site. Once inside, the interior organization reflects the exterior’s symmetrical form, dividing public living spaces from private ones. The plan is optimized to provide views outwards from every space in the house. A single linear recess was carved into the building’s entire façade to stop wind-driven rain from hitting any window or door, so clean, streak-free windows and long clear views towards a shimmering blue-grey saltwater inlet can be enjoyed all year.
Since the house has no flat yard space, all outdoor summer living must happen on the roof. At the void between the two halves of the plan is an exterior stair that guides you up to an expansive open-air terrace, offering views in every direction.