Vineyard residence

A residence for the owners of a 20-acre vineyard near Oliver BC located in the Okanagan Valley.

Although there was an existing older residence home on the property, the owners felt that it was not entirely suitable for their needs. Instead the owners John and Darlene West felt that the old home could be renovated later to house a Winery and tasting room feature, thus the decision to construct a new home.

In order to have the two buildings, which are close to each other, make coherent sense in the vineyard, the same 12/12 roof pitch was used on the new home as the old home.

This area which is in the northern tip of the Sonora Desert, while being ideal for growing grapes, certain techniques (both passive and active) are implemented to maintain occupant comfort during the hot summer and the winter both.

The gable of this home faces south with a magnificent view south down the Okanagan Valley to the Osoyoos Lake and beyond into the USA. In order to take advantage of this view for both the main floor and the loft, this southern gable is virtually all glass. While this is great to allow the warming winter sun into the home, we have integrated two exterior light shelves into this gable elevation. These shelves are curved and mathematically calculated to allow the unobstructed southern views from the interior and to allow the winter sun to penetrate the interior. While at the same time these light shelves block penetration of the summer sun but allow the shelves to bounce reflected light into the home.

Adequate natural ventilation thru opening windows and doors with stack cooling from the main floor up and thru to the loft assists with natural cooling. An air-to-air exchange electric assist forced air furnace maintains internal room temperatures as well.

LAYOUT

The main floor has the main entrance/reception/powder room areas, the two story living/dining/kitchen areas as well as a curved wooden stair built on site that ascends up to the loft and descends down to the lower floor.

The loft is the master bedroom suite has uninterrupted views to the south and has a sleeping porch to the north. There is a skylight directly over the master bed to allow the occupants views of the stars and moon at night.

The lower floor, as yet unfinished, is destined for further bedrooms, a washroom and for facilities for wash up for the pickers.This is a timber frame home, where the beauty of the framing is allowed to be expressed and enjoyed, and one is well aware of what holds what up, giving the owners increased sense and appreciation of place.