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This off-the-grid contemporary home on Sidney Island, British Columbia, is the work of Blue Sky Architecture and may be the ultimate dream home for book lovers.
Located at the southern end of the Gulf Islands, between Vancouver Island and mainland British Columbia, this 2,000-square-foot retreat was designed for a pair of Prairie bookstore owners who spend their summers here in what can only be described as a private library in the woods.
Inspired by the sweep of the shoreline and the orientation of the sun, the home and its walled garden form an oval plan, with a sunny courtyard shaped and contained by the main house to the north and a gatehouse and utility buildings to the south, all connected by garden walls and trellis structures.
The remainder of the site is left as natural forest, with abundant sun harnessed through solar panels. Entirely off the grid and powered by solar, this home works as beautifully as it looks.
An Off-the-Grid Retreat on Sidney Island, British Columbia
The owners are Prairie bookstore operators who fell in love with Sidney Island, and now spend their summers in this remote ‘library in the woods.’ Books are a passion, not just a vocation, for the couple, who are avid readers and active book collectors. Their literary sensibilities have inspired and tempered the blend of formal and bookish references for their home’s design.
Oval Floor Plan Designed Around Sun, Sea, and Shoreline
The site is on the seafront of a small island off British Columbia’s coast, with no ferry access or local services. The house is off-grid and situated on a point of shoreline facing northeast. In plan, the house and walled garden complex is an oval intersected with an axis directed towards a small point on the shoreline.
Solar-Powered and Built for Remote Island Living
Upper roof curves orient to the sun, and lower flat roofs allow for optimal placement of solar panels and maximize natural ventilation and light penetration into the heart of the house. Walls are largely transparent, facing central garden spaces. Sunlight penetrates deep into interior spaces, while on the other side, the expanse of the ocean is visible from every room.
The Book Lover’s Hallway You Need to See
The construction palette of this home is natural, durable, and local. Because of the remote island location, all materials had to be hand-loaded on and off a small barge, making transportability important.
An Open Kitchen with Views of the Courtyard and Sea
This dwelling combines the introverted nature of book lovers with its sheltered courtyard and extroverted face of window wall to the sea, combining many ways of living in modest domestic spaces.
Dining Room
What We Love About This Home
This off-grid residence offers a unique design concept and inspiring details throughout. A beautiful landscape and seaside views provide a tranquil environment for these lucky homeowners. A long hallway loaded with books is fabulous for those who love to read… and it looks like there are plenty of places to curl up with a good book! Overall, we think this home would offer a sanctuary for those seeking a relaxing getaway.
Tell Us…
What details in the design of this home most appeal to you and why? Let us know in the Comments below. We love reading your feedback!
Note: Check out a couple of other amazing home tours that we have showcased here on One Kindesign in the province of British Columbia: This coastal home sanctuary has panoramic ocean views of the Sunshine Coast and British Columbia waterfront house designed to feel like a modern treehouse.
A Living Room That Faces the Ocean on One Side and the Garden on the Other
Owner’s Bedroom with Ocean Views
Owner’s Bathroom
Exterior: Walled Garden, Cloister, and Douglas Fir Fencing
The Douglas fir used for the garden fencing and cloister (a covered walk, typically with a wall on one side and a colonnade open to a quadrangle on the other) was milled from trees recycled from clearing the building site.
Floor Plan and 3D Model
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