Nelson, British Columbia, Canada, on the edge of Kootenay Lake
About this story
Shore House is a private family residence designed by Stanley Office of Architecture on a steep, forested slope overlooking Kootenay Lake. ArchDaily reports an area of 570 square metres and a 2025 project year. Deep foundations stabilize the house and support cantilevered floors and decks that project into the surrounding fir and cedar canopy. The home includes an extended-family suite, open kitchen-living-dining spaces, outdoor decks, bedrooms and corridors framed by close views of trees and water, a gym, and a mountain-bike gear garage. The unusually deep foundation also accommodates a year-round basketball area. A gently rising roof directs the principal living space toward floor-to-ceiling glazing and large sliding doors, while a custom millwork kitchen and concrete fireplace anchor the interior. Douglas fir glulam beams support the roof; western red cedar finishes the ceilings and soffits; Alaskan yellow cedar lines the entrance footbridge and exterior sunscreens; and concrete and steel express the stabilizing structure. The muted exterior palette and grouped rain chains reference the landscape and regional modernist precedents. Matthew Stanley is credited as lead architect. Tobias Gray is credited for renderings and graphics, and Addison Rickaby is the credited photographer through Tamarack. The official architect page credits Juniper Engineering for structural engineering, GeoPacific Engineering and Crowsnest Engineering for geotechnical engineering, and RAMM Custom Build as builder. ArchDaily additionally credits Highland Consulting for septic consulting and lists Atlas Granite, Birch Lane, BLANCO, Centura Tile, Everlast Products, Julian Tile, Kalesnikoff Timber, MAAX, Mobital, Pravada, Riobel, Rumford Fireplace and Westform Metals as manufacturers. Juniper’s project page identifies its role as structural engineer of record and structural-steel detailer and credits Arcright for steel fabrication and Kalesnikoff Mass Timber for glulam fabrication.
Status and timeline
Built. ArchDaily identifies the project year as 2025; the architect’s official project page confirms built status but does not provide an exact completion date.
Design highlights
Deep foundations and cantilevered floors minimize the house’s dependence on conventional level terrain; a suspended tree-house or osprey-like expression; structure articulated through concrete, steel and exposed Douglas fir glulam; regionally sourced cedar finishes; a rising roofline and full-height glazing oriented toward Kootenay Lake; close-cropped canopy views in private rooms; a deep foundation given a secondary recreational use; muted exterior colors; and grouped rain chains inspired by nearby regional modernism.
