Japandia

Defined by sculptural gabled forms, origami-inspired glazing, and a palette of charred tones and natural oak, the home is shaped by calm simplicity, crafted light, and a deep connection to nature.

Our Role
Residential Design

Location
Edgemont, BC

Credits
Photos: Ema Peter Photography
Builder: Hasler Homes Ltd
Interior Designer: Shift Interiors
Landscape Designer: Alexander Suvajac

2026 HAVAN Award Winner
Best Custom Home $5,000,000 - $10,000,000

Japandia was conceived as a study in harmony, bringing together the quiet discipline of Japanese design and the warmth, tactility, and ease of Scandinavian living. Set against a steep, tree-lined property line, the home uses the surrounding forest not merely as scenery, but as an architectural companion. The mature landscape provides privacy, atmosphere, and a constant visual dialogue between interior life and the natural world beyond.

From the street, the residence feels both understated and distinctive. A composition of clean gabled volumes rises through the landscape, softened by maples and layered planting that partially veil the architecture from view. This sense of concealment was intentional, allowing the home to reveal itself gradually through movement rather than presenting everything at once. The result is an arrival that feels calm, intimate, and quietly dramatic.

The massing draws on the familiar language of pitched roof forms, yet reinterprets them through a sharper, more sculptural lens. Most notable are the angled feature windows, inspired by the folded geometry of origami. These faceted openings create moments of visual tension and elegance, giving the home a subtle identity while drawing daylight deep into the interior spaces. By day, they frame the trees beyond like living artwork. By night, they glow softly outward, turning the residence into a lantern within the landscape.

Material selection was approached with equal restraint. Dark exterior cladding grounds the structure and allows it to recede into the forest backdrop, while concrete, stone, and softened glazing details provide contrast and permanence. Inside, the palette shifts to warmth and serenity. Pale oak millwork, natural plaster finishes, muted stone, and tactile textiles create spaces that feel minimal yet deeply inviting.

The interiors were designed around proportion, light, and stillness. Vaulted ceilings add volume without excess, while carefully framed windows maintain a sense of connection to the trees and sky. Open-plan living areas encourage gathering and flow, balanced by quieter moments of enclosure throughout the home. Every material was selected to age gracefully, and every line considered to support a sense of calm.

What defines Japandia is not any single gesture, but its composure. It is a home where softness and precision coexist, where the design feels modern yet timeless, and where two design traditions come together to create something quietly original.