A low energy laneway with an efficient floor layout and a simple volumetric form. The footprint of the laneway is minimized to accommodate two existing trees and provide sufficient garden space for its inhabitants and the residents of the main house. Materially, local wood products are used wherever feasible to maximize carbon sequestration and left exposed to weather naturally. Careful detailing of the exterior-insulated envelope, along with triple-glazed windows provide a high performing enclosure that minimizes energy requirements for the house. Photovoltaic panels on the south facing portion of the roof also help to offset energy costs.
A phased renovation project for an existing 1960s kit cabin on Pender Island. The client wants additional bedroom space to accommodate family visits, along with a general update of the interiors. Two options were presented, which kept the simple lines and form of the original cabin intact. The recommended addition would be on the approach-side of the cabin, allowing a clear delineation between the new and old sections. The first phase of the project will see the deck repaired to meet current code requirements. The posts for the new deck are re-positioned to align with the existing cabin's structure, minimizing view obstructions of the ocean vista from the interior.
Status: Construction budget is being established
This is a very small second dwelling for a client on Gambier Island. The off-the-grid cabin is positioned at the back of the steeply sloping waterfront site. It is raised off of the ground to minimize its impact on the surrounding nature and to reduce excavation costs. Generous roof overhangs will protect the exposed cedar-clad structure and also control the solar gains from the south. A small photovoltaic array will provide for the electrical demands of this wood-fire heated structure. A tight budget and span limits lead to the straightforward pitched roof form.
Status: Under construction
A new tasting lounge for a distillery in North Vancouver. A curving wood wall is created at the entry, drawing people into the space and at the same time, shielding the service spaces from view. Locally-sourced cedar and douglas fir are used for the curving wall and bar surround, while existing concrete floors are left exposed.
Status: Under construction
A main floor renovation of a modern house in East Van, a bathroom in James Bay, Victoria, and a new kitchen for a 1930's Dunbar house.
While working at HBBH/DIALOG, Simon worked on three projects at the University of British Columbia: The Marine Gateway Student Residences, two food venues (Sushi and Pan Asian) in the new Student Union Building (SUB) and the Campus Energy Centre (CEC). Simon was the project architect for the CEC building, which was on the shortlist of projects for the 2017 Lieutenant Governor Awards for BC. The accompanying photos show the completed UBC CEC building and some in-progress construction shots of the Sushi venue, located on the main floor of the new SUB building.
Oppenheimer Park: A Study of Interconnectivity in the Public Realm (2007)
Located in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, Oppenheimer Park is presently a neglected place at the heart of the poorest postal code in Canada. The people who frequent the park are overwhelmingly marginalized and are without a collective voice. The park has an intriguing history as a site of progressive social activism; however, no physical markers signify this fact. Presently, Oppenheimer Park is in need of a new community facility to support the variety of programmed activities for its space. This required element will form one part of the intervention in the park that will seek to better connect the park to the people, services, and built environment of the neighbourhood. The project will grow out of the activities around and within the park, the built character of the Downtown Eastside, the history, the topography, and the site's role at the scale of the city. By utilizing these commonplace cues, the project will attempt to foster a new perception of this forgotten place, providing an identity and orientation for the people who live around the park.
