British Columbia waterfront house designed to feel like a modern treehouse

Synthesis Design, in collaboration with Western Craft Contracting, has designed this spectacular modern house located on the Sunshine Coast in British Columbia, Canada. This custom home sits on a small, steep, triangular, tree-covered, and rocky site—designing for the terrain was the easy part. The real challenge was site access.

Two previous designers attempted to use the lower road, resulting in a steep, uninviting driveway. Instead, the architects chose access via a bridge from the upper road, creating a level, welcoming entry and a low-profile street presence, in harmony with the landscape. The garage and photography studio are located to the left and right of the entrance, respectively.

DESIGN DETAILS

ARCHITECT Synthesis Design

CONTRACTOR Western Craft Contracting LTD.

Thanks to the steep slope, every room—including the garage—has a view, amplifying the treehouse experience. This modern, efficient home is rooted in its site, using sustainable, fire-resistant, and cost-effective materials throughout.

What We Love About This Home

Tucked into a steep, triangular site on the Sunshine Coast, this modern home transforms a rocky slope into a modern treehouse retreat. Accessed by a bridge and surrounded by forest, every space is deeply connected to the landscape, with sweeping views of the Georgia Strait and sunlight pouring through a dramatic picture window. The deck follows the site’s unique shape, ensuring every room feels immersed in nature. Modern living, naturally elevated.

Tell Us: What details do you love most about this home’s design? Let us know in the comments below!

Note: Check out a couple of other impressive home tours that we have showcased here on One Kindesign in the province of British Columbia: A midcentury house renovation nestled in the serene forests of Vancouver and An amazing luxury house overlooking the sea in West Vancouver Canada.

This upper corridor connects the entry to the main living spaces, with a double-height stairwell framed in glass, concrete, and crisp white walls. A restrained material palette allows natural textures to take center stage, while a series of vertical windows brings in filtered forest light and reinforces the home’s treehouse character.

A trio of bark-texture prints lines the charcoal feature wall at the stairs, echoing the surrounding trees. Minimal glass guardrails keep the space visually open, and polished concrete floors reflect the soft natural light. Black-framed windows add contrast and definition throughout. A striking picture window frames sweeping views of the Georgia Strait through tall trees.

Hidden feature stairs draw visitors down into the home, while a raised, inverted roof above the stair core forms a “light core” that channels western light deep into the eastern spaces.

Above: The main level features an open-plan design linking kitchen, living, and dining areas, with large sliders opening onto a covered deck. The deck follows the site’s triangular shape, framed by forest and ocean views. It embodies modern efficiency with a warm, treehouse-like atmosphere.

Above: The covered deck unfolds as a natural extension of the main living space, shaped by the site’s triangular geometry and oriented to the view. Sheltered yet open, it offers a quiet, year-round place to gather—immersed in the surrounding trees and the broad horizon of Georgia Strait.

PHOTOGRAPHER Kevin Jamieson Photography