James H Kunstler dissects suburbia

Plan your project before construction

Photo Paul McGrath, North Shore News

It's essential for individuals wishing to undertake a renovation or new construction to anticipate and understand the challenges of construction.

Be it a modest renovation or new multi-million-dollar home, individuals will be faced with similar obstacles as they undertake a building project.

In this article I will discuss the most common questions and challenges individuals face.

You may have grand aspirations to build an extraordinary West Coast contemporary style home or maybe you just want to renovate your breakfast nook; regardless, the first thing you'll need to address is your site. As I discussed in my last column, the unique characteristics of a property will inform planning decisions from the get-go and should really be seen more as opportunity than a challenge.

An analysis of the zoning bylaws that pertain to your piece of land is the first step. Setbacks, easements and special requirements are different for every municipality and must be understood before setting pencil to paper. Once you know what you can't do, the next move is to figure out what you can do to best utilize the qualities that your site has to offer. All too often we are confronted with homes that have been built from stock plans that have no relation to their property, with sundrenched windowless walls facing magnificent views or wonderful, inviting gardens with little or no access from a living space within. The placement of your house in the landscape and organizing your plan around sun exposure, views and access to the garden are all critical decisions in the design process and will ultimately help generate a suitable layout for your site.

The question of whether to renovate or build new is another essential point that needs to be answered at the beginning of the process. Comments like "only moving a few walls" or "just pop on another floor" make designers and architects cringe as they recognize immediately what this can entail. Moving a wall actually requires tearing down the existing one, moving and relocating any plumbing and electrical housed within it, refinishing the floors and ceiling that have been disrupted by moving it and then the rebuilding a new wall somewhere else. Moving said wall may entail structural considerations too, potentially reverberating throughout the building structure and resulting in significant costs.

The addition of a new floor to a house is a substantial undertaking that requires structural reinforcement of walls, openings and foundations throughout the existing house making what, on the surface, might seem like an isolated intervention to be, in fact, a profoundly involved one. It is critical to understand from the start of your project that extensive renovations are often more costly than new construction.

There are several strategies in renovation work that we follow in order to maximize a modest budget, recognizing that certain compromises are essential to reach this goal.

The designer needs to critically analyze a residence and identify the major problems pertaining to circulation, function and form and then set about trying to rectify those trouble spots with as little major intervention as possible.

For projects with a significant amount of remodelling, it's often best to contain the renovation work to a specific area of the house. The ideal scenario is the construction of an addition completely independent of the existing structure that works on a number of floor levels. This scenario minimizes intervention to the existing home and often allows residents to remain insitu during construction.

For smaller jobs, simple solutions like opening up a kitchen to a living space can be a cost-effective measure that has a positive effect on the whole house. Even simple ideas like a new colour of paint can transform a gloomy space into an upbeat one. Successful solutions can still be attained even when funds are low.

But that said, the unrealistic budget is one of the most common challenges for the intrepid homeowner.

Individuals routinely embark on building projects without an adequate cost analysis and find themselves sinking in a financial quagmire. It's essential to plan your project adequately before you start construction and to put aside a contingency fund just in case. (I often suggest upwards of 25 per cent of anticipated building cost be tucked away as contingency.)

When it comes time to looking for a builder, the magic word is patience. It's a far better choice to wait for a good one than to go with the unknown. Good referrals and a strong track record are key things I look for when referring a client to a contractor.

The competent builder is someone who makes a job run smoothly, understands the entire construction process and won't incur extra costs or time delays through poor scheduling or inexperience. Individuals wishing to renovate or build new should do their planning homework before construction starts and resolve as many issues as possible with an eraser rather than a crow bar.

Inspired design embraces site's uniqueness

A home and the land it sits upon are inextricably joined in a marriage that can be as fulfilling as it can be fruitless.

Designers and architects understand this connection and make site planning the first order of B business when designing a new home.

Be it a rolling pasture or a precipitous cliff, every house is joined to a site that should directly inform its massing and layout. The unique characteristics of a property are essential cues in the formation of a design and should be seen as opportunities to embrace rather than obstacles to overcome.

Many of the finest examples of residential architecture are inspired responses to distinct qualities of a unique site. Arthur Erickson's Smith Residence built in West Vancouver in 1964 boldly bridges two granite outcroppings that, to a less gifted designer, might have been seen as a hindrance rather than an inspiration.

Supported on huge fir beams that bridge between the two outcroppings, the fully glazed living room floats above the surrounding landscape and spans the courtyard entry below. It's a masterpiece of residential design, revealed by the challenges of a demanding site rather than in spite of one.

I was approached recently by a couple wanting to build a new home on a small, steeply sloping site, facing the ocean. The 25-foot-wide and 100-foot-long site was distinctive enough because of its tiny footprint but the fact that it dropped almost 60 feet over its length (imagine a doubles tennis court tilted at 45 degrees and you get the picture of the site) made the property truly unique. The clients wished to create a small, efficiently designed home that would capture expansive views to the ocean while still maintaining a sense of privacy from directly adjacent neighbouring properties.

The unique site profoundly shaped the design of the building with its mass sliding down the steep site and terminating in a dramatic cantilever extending out into space to the ocean. Large openings facing the water mixed with strategically located horizontal windows on the sides of the house provide a stunning panoramic view while still shielding views to adjacent properties.

The main living spaces feel like they're floating above the ocean, fully capturing the surrounding beauty, while still maintaining a strong sense of privacy. What at first glance looked like an impossibly difficult site to work with proved, in the end, to be the catalyst for a distinct building expression.

Looking for the essential "CUES" from your site is an easy acronym to remember when approaching site design:

• Capture views and sun. Layout your house to best utilize view corridors and sun. Don't build your house on the sunny spot of your lot but rather adjacent to it. Try to maximize those south facing outdoor spaces. Look to bringing that winter sun into the house while keeping the summer rays at bay.

• What's Unique about your property? It might be a cliff, a view or a just a big, bright yard but this special feature can play an important role in the design of your house. Embrace this uniqueness and treat it as an inspiration rather than an obstacle.

• Understand the Essence of the site. Try to work with the site rather than force something on it. The placement of structures, roads, gardens and outdoor areas should enhance the site rather than take from it.

• Be Strategic in the placement of your house and the landscaping. Use the building itself to screen unwanted views and create private zones. Be creative with your landscaping. It too can work as an effective tool to separate public and private areas.

Dream home nightmare

Photograph by: NEWS photo, Cindy Goodman

Spending the Christmas holidays in a cabin, snowbound with friends, is the ideal way to unwind and relax, allowing one to take stock from the year passed and make plans for the year ahead.

Setting aside the stresses of daily life for a time is the raison d'être of a holiday retreat after all, but not for close friends of mine.

Their dream of building a cabin on the slopes of an Okanagan ski resort was realized a couple years back as they eagerly anticipated years of fun and relaxation in their newly built winter retreat. Nothing could have been further from the truth.

They undertook their construction project the right way. They hired a reputable designer to help them with their plans, they submitted drawings to the municipal authorities as required and they hired a seemingly competent builder to construct and oversee their project until completion.

As most folks do - and should do - my friends depended heavily on the competence and professionalism of the builder to see the construction of their home done right. Their builder was strong on the charismatic end and was very good at selling his services but, as it played out, had little else to offer.

As the project moved through construction my friends would discover that the original budget issued to them by their builder was simply a low-ball guess rather than a considered estimate, and by the end of the project would see it grow to double the original amount.

Sadly, the problems didn't end there. This particular builder didn't follow the construction documents issued to him and simply omitted or 'forgot' features as he saw fit. The plan was altered, a dumb-waiter was forgotten and the wine cellar was included in the in-floor radiant heating system (it's currently being heated and cooled simultaneously to achieve its required temperature).

Fundamental construction details were botched as well. The main roof drainpipe, which runs down the centre of the house, wasn't buried deep enough at grade and consequently was affected sub-zero temperatures. Water in the pipe would freeze and create a dam, backing up drain water onto the roof, creating ice dams and roof leaks. The problem got so bad that the ice poured over the face of the house and worked itself into the exterior walls.

There are scores of other issues with the house (too many to discuss here) but the definitive proof that this builder was the classic "cowboy" was in the detailing of the roof supports.

The three-storey building has exterior columns that support the roof structure above and intermediate decks between. The columns run from roof to grade, one atop the other, transferring the considerable load of a snow-covered, flat-roof to the foundation below. It was discovered that the columns at the intermediate levels were not continuous but rather sat atop a layer of half-inch plywood at deck level with no blocking or structure below to transfer the load to the column beneath it.

This scenario is as sobering as it is scary, creating the potential for structural failure of catastrophic proportion. This wasn't a simple omission either. It would be discovered that this detail was standard for this builder on a number of similar projects.

Fortunately for my friends they're covered under the National Home Warranty service and their construction issues are being rectified, but the project and its problems are a wake-up call. Where was the designer in the building process? Where were the inspectors? Where was the structural engineer? There are many questions still unanswered but at its basics, there was an individual overseeing the construction of this project that was in no position to do so.

Rumour has it that this fellow is still working but I suspect this latest fiasco will put his construction career to rest (there are a total of five projects on the hill with similar issues created by the same fellow).

In stark contrast to builder above, the qualified builder or general contractor is a professional who takes an architect's and designer's conceptual ideas and makes them into a built reality. They'll have a track record of successful built projects to their name and a list of happy clients to back up their claims. They'll never start a job without first signing a contract and they'll always carry the necessary liability insurance and worker's compensation coverage to protect their client and themselves. Through it all, the builder will assume complete responsibility for the contracted work and will provide a full warranty for it when it's done.

I encourage anyone embarking on a construction project to do their homework and find an experienced and reputable builder to work with. Do this and one will have the peace of mind at the start of their project that their job will be done right, on time and on budget.

Ice Cube Celebrates the Eames

Ice Cube celebrates the Eames. As unexpected as it is good. Bringing architecture to the masses...gangster style.

Homes provide a necessary retreat from outside world

There’s something about Christmas that brings out a desire for security and retreat like no other.

It could be the shorter days and cooler temperatures or maybe just the spirit of the season but the idea of being nestled around a cozy fire enjoying the company of family and friends has an almost irresistible draw at this time of year.

What's being touched on here - this desire - is our instinct for security and retreat in our lives. Our homes, in a most fundamental way, embody this need by creating a physical shelter that affords us protection and security from the outside environment while providing an equally important psychological disconnect from that world as well.

Think about it: kids hide away in tree houses, secure in their position of height, revelling in the feeling of being the untouched observer while us adults race for that cosy corner seat in the local cafe to anonymously observe the drama of daily life acted out before us. We all have this desire within us.

Your home may be your castle in a metaphorical sense but few of us want it to feel like a fortress. A well designed home will provide opportunities for its occupants to capture a sense of security and shelter while still enjoying a private association to something beyond.

Frank Lloyd Wright understood this intrinsic human need and provided for it in many of his earlier Chicago homes. By raising the place of retreat from the area it overlooked, Wright was able to increase the feeling of physical separation while enhancing the sense of private association. Primary living spaces would be located on the second floor in order to separate them from the street below and deeply set, low-walled patios would afford views to the street while still maintaining a sense of visual privacy to the occupants within.

In a design for a new home recently constructed in West Vancouver I created a covered porch that fully captured a view to a sunny, south-facing front yard and the ocean beyond while still providing the residents a sense of privacy from a busy street adjacent. By placing the patio above street level, enclosing it on the street side with a low wall and providing a fully glazed railing to the garden I was able to create a space that allowed the residents to move about the patio and overlook the world outside without being observed from the street below.

Human beings like to visually participate in the world around them while being situated in a place of perceived psychological security. The well-designed home is not only a creative response to the corporeal requirements of physical safety and security of its inhabitants but also an answer to their psychological needs as well.

Know your building codes, bylaws

For those of you who've had the pleasure of dealing with a municipality regarding zoning and building code requirements, you've no doubt discovered what a frustrating and confusing experience it can be.

Photograph by: Cindy Goodman, North Shore News

One will often find themselves wading through a quagmire of limits and boundaries that appear, at first glance, to exist simply to confuse and restrict the process but a closer look will reveal a far more coherent explanation.

In a descriptive broad stroke, zoning requirements are unique to a given municipality and are the means by which that community can control and shape the development that takes place within its jurisdiction. Building code requirements work on a provincial and national level and are created to control design, construction and material use in the building process based on health and safety standards.

Understanding the regulations that govern a given site is an essential first step for anyone embarking on a residential project on that property, no matter how small.

In general terms, building code requirements are set in stone. They're the law. Building code requirements need to be met or you don't move forward. Truth be told, there is a means to argue unclear building code requirements if what's being proposed meets the intent of the specific contravened code regulation but arguing such a point is a long and difficult process and is not something one would normally do. For the average homeowner, assume code requirements to be unchangeable. Zoning requirements are a little less succinct.

Every district and municipality has their own set of zoning requirements. Something allowed in the District of West Vancouver might not be allowed in the City of North Vancouver, or vice versa. Be it commercial, multi-family or single family residential, a particular piece of land will be governed by zoning regulations that define its place within a community plan. These regulations dictate the size, shape and location of the building on its site in order to ensure that what's being proposed is in keeping with its context. By setting restrictions on fundamentals such as setbacks from property lines, maximum building heights and permissible built areas, zoning bylaws quickly define what can and cannot be built.

Zoning bylaws are there to shape a community in a positive, predetermined way. On occasion, these bylaws move beyond being reasonable rules and thwart the best and most sensible design solutions. Unlike with building code requirements, one has recourse. Through a variance application process an individual can plead a grievance before a building committee and if their case is deemed justified, the contravening design will be allowed. The key for success in a variance process is for the appellant to successfully demonstrate that undue hardship would be caused by the application of the zoning bylaw requirement.

Here are a few key zoning regulations a homeowner may need to address before embarking on a building project:

Setbacks define buffer zones around the edge of a property in which a building is not permitted. Most bylaws allow certain elements of structure like overhangs and chimneys to protrude into the setback but not always. Accessory buildings such as garages and storage sheds are generally permitted within the main building setbacks but fall under their own individual requirements.

The height of your home is calculated differently within every zoning district. Some measure from average grade height while others measure from the highest façade up. For sloped roofs, maximum heights might be taken to ridgeline or to the median height of ridge and roof spring line. Regardless, this is something that should be established from the outset otherwise the repercussions could be disastrous.

The floor space ratio, or FSR, dictates the maximum amount of floor area permitted on a given site. It includes all floors but often has exceptions for areas below grade. The calculation process can vary widely between municipalities.

If you have intentions of undertaking a residential project, big or small, drop into your local planning authority and get a full explanation of what building code and zoning regulations might affect you.

Parallax brings dynamism to design

It was my final project review in second-year architecture at McGill University and a guest critic commented on my nice use of parallax in my project.

It's always an uncomfortable moment when you've done something you had no intention of doing but, because it was evidently a good thing, I accepted the praise, feigned an understanding of the word and quickly directed the topic to something else.

I went home that evening and looked up the definition of the word so the next time I employed parallax I knew I was doing it.

Parallax is defined as "an apparent change in the position of an object resulting from a change in position of the observer." Imagine sitting on a moving train and how objects in the foreground move across your field of vision much faster than those in the background, with distant mountains appearing stationary while utility poles clip by in a blur. The relative movement of these disparate visual elements created by the movement of you on the train is parallax.

Parallax is an interesting occurrence that may seem a little esoteric at first - in an architectural sense anyhow - but is a dynamic in design that if correctly used can bring a space to life.

Older homes with lots of enclosed rooms connected by corridors don't afford the observer much, if any, sense of parallax. Views are confined and opportunities are few.

But in more open layouts where enclosing walls have been removed (partly or completely), where columns, stairs or millwork begin to define living spaces, one will find that parallax becomes a discernible component of the design. Various elements within the plan will move relative to one another and their backgrounds, creating a sense of movement within the space.

Frank Lloyd Wright intuitively understood the dynamic nature of parallax and enhanced its quality by incorporating a hexagonal grid in the layout of a number of his homes. The oblique angles of the walls and components provided wonderful opportunities for diagonal views through the homes and increased the sense of movement between elements.

The concept of a diagonal view is important when thinking about parallax. Diagonal views are used in both film and theatre to add energy to a scene, and can be used in combination with parallax - as seen in Frank Lloyd Wright's work - to create dynamic architectural spaces as well. The perceived size of a rectilinear space will always seem bigger looking across the diagonal and the illusion can be used in a layout to make a modest space feel larger.

Understanding and utilizing the phenomenon of parallax in design is a wonderful way of bringing energy to a space.

Demystify the building process

Building a new home or undertaking a major renovation is likely among the most financially daunting tasks the average homeowner will ever face.

In most cases, the homeowner has never been involved with a large-scale construction project before and is unsure what to expect from the designer or architect or how the whole process works.

Photograph by: Mike Wakefield, North Shore News

The design and construction of a new home or renovation is divided into five distinct phases: Schematic design, design development, construction documentation, bidding and negotiation and contract administration.

Schematic design is the fuzzy beginning of a project. This is the time when the design professional obtains whatever they can from the client to help shape the dream. A scrapbook of favourite images and a detailed wish-list are very important to this end, but so too is an understanding of the personality of the particular client.

This is the less obvious aspect of the designer or architect's job but is one that can't be overlooked. Are the clients organized by nature or should the architecture assist to this end? Are the homeowners private and reserved or are they the natural life of the party?

Getting in tune with the more subtle habits of the client is very important early on and can play an important role in shaping the design.

Once collected, the information is digested and design begins. Like a painter putting their first strokes to the canvas, this is the exploratory stage of the project. It's the time to consider the larger ideas of overall form and relationship rather than fret about detail. There's little point in worrying about

where to put the fridge if you haven't decided where to put the kitchen.

By the end of schematic design the homeowner can expect rough floor plans with sketchy elevations and a loose 3D building form. The wish-list will have been addressed in addition to other dynamics such as siting, sun orientation and zoning. One will have a sense on what the home will look like but won't feel inhibited to make changes. If the design concept is met with approval the designer will move forward into design development.

Design development is exactly as it suggests, taking the schematic design and developing it further. Like a sculptor who's mocked up a rough form in clay, the design professional or architect now begins to shape in detail the different components of the work. A structural engineer will have been brought in by this point and their input will begin to inform the design. The schematic sketches will likely have made it to the computer by this point but a sketch pad and 3D software remains close at hand as countless details will need resolving.

This can be a very time-consuming phase as the magnification of focus brings ever more issues to the fore. It's very important at this stage not to lose sight of the original concept first developed in schematic design. By the end of the design development phase, the schematic design drawings will have become a set of very readable plans, elevations and models, with the client becoming perfectly clear on what their finished product will look like.

If the work of design development meets with the homeowner's approval the design professional will be given the green light to move into the construction documentation phase of the building process.

In this phase the designer or architect takes on the role of construction expert, transforming the artistic concepts generated in schematic design and design development into a set of technical construction documents that can be submitted for a building permit and used by general contractor to build the home from.

The original planning strategies and design concepts are put to the test as they are detailed with an eye to their technical robustness and structural integrity. New issues will come to light, details will be massaged and ideas will be tested. The designer will need to keep a sharp eye on the original design concept, always aware of the tendency to be pulled off track by the onslaught of technical considerations. An active dialogue between the designer and the engineer will be going on throughout the construction documentation process as the final structural design is completed.

At the end of the construction document phase the homeowner will be presented with a set of technical construction documents sufficient in detail to obtain a building permit and to undertake the construction of their home.

A set of construction documents for a home will include dimensioned plans, elevations, sections and large-scale construction details, and will typically also contain reflected ceiling plans (to clarify ceiling shape and form and to locate lights and other ceiling elements), millwork drawings (detailed drawings of built-in cabinetry), interior elevations, specifications and finish schedules.

Once the construction documents are submitted for permit, the process moves into the bidding and negotiation phase. On larger projects this is typically referred to as a call to tender, where invited builders are issued a tender package and are asked to bid on the project.

For residential projects it works a little differently, as builders rarely commit to a fixed fee for a project, preferring instead to work to a cost-plus arrangement. A builder will submit an estimated cost to complete the project and will add on a management fee at the end - the fee running typically somewhere between 10-15 per cent of the total construction cost. I will often ask for the management fee to be fixed to offset the perception that it would be profitable for the builder to have the overall budget creep higher.

During the bidding and negotiation phase the design professional will answer questions and clarify details to help facilitate the process. They will help select a builder, review the contract between the owner and builder and they will ensure that a reasonable construction schedule is in place and that insurance policies are in order.

Once a contract has been awarded, the building process enters the contract administration phase. During this phase the designer or architect will make routine visits to the construction site to ensure the general conformance of work with the contract documents. They will review and process claims for payment from the builder and will certify that payment reflects work done. They will be available to respond to questions as they occur and will issue site instructions as required.

As the project nears completion the design professional will carry out a substantial performance review and issue a substantial performance certificate.

The final certificate of payment is issued upon the completion of all deficiency work by the builder. A 12-month warranty review is typically carried out by the designer one year after the date of substantial completion.

Understanding the five phases of design and construction takes the mystery out of the process and provides the homeowner with clearer expectations as to what to expect from their design professional.

Rain-screen controls moisture

The exterior walls of a home are fascinating moisture control devices that are far more sophisticated than most of us realize.

Moisture is the single greatest source of construction problems in the wall assembly of a home and its mitigation is a crucial component of good building envelope design.

When left unattended, moisture within a wall assembly will produce mold and mildew, decay and rot, thermal envelope breakdown and structural damage.

There are three distinct ways that moisture can develop within a wall system with the first being from the outside in as outdoor water and moisture works its way into the wall assembly through imperfections and breaks in the exterior skin.

The second way moisture develops is from the inside out as warm, moisture-rich air from the inside of the house migrates into the wall assembly and condenses when it meets a cold surface within. The third and, for me, the least obvious way is the development of moisture from the assembly itself as changing moisture levels in the framing material that make up the assembly produce moisture problems within the wall.

Controlling external moisture from entering the wall assembly has been greatly enhanced in recent years with the required installation of rain-screen walls for new construction by the National Building Code of Canada.

In rain-screen construction the outer layer of siding or cladding of a wall assembly is separated from the inner wall by an air space. This space is created with vertical furring strips or rain-screen drainage mats and is vented to the outside to provide pressure equalization that allows any moisture that makes it into the cavity to escape at the bottom. This new method of construction ensures that if moisture makes its way through the outer protective layer of the wall assembly it will naturally migrate out again. Lack of rain-screen detailing was the primary culprit for the "leaky condo" debacle that plagued homeowners some years back.

Moisture can move from the inside of a dwelling into the wall assembly if moistureladen air from the interior spaces of a home is allowed to make its way outwards. Wind loads, temperature gradients and mechanical systems will create pressure differences between the inside and outside of a building, forcing warm air outwards. As warm air migrates through a wall assembly it will find a cool surface at that magic temperature and it will condense. Think of your lawn after a clear night. The water drawn out of the warm air will create moisture within the assembly and with it all sorts of problems from rotting and structural deterioration of the assembly to fungal growth and visual damage.

Photograph by: Terry Peters, North Shore News

Installing a continuous membrane on the warm side of the wall insulation - typically a 4-6 millimetre polyethylene film - prevents warm, moist air from the interior of the house from migrating into the wall assembly and is the standard way to prevent this insideto-outside moisture problem from occurring.

When constructing a wall assembly one must ensure that the lumber used for framing is considered dry - The National Building Code of Canada deems this to be a moisture level of 19% or less. Green lumber (wood that has been freshly cut) will have a moisture level of 100%. As green wood dries it shrinks and undergoes dimensional changes. It's crucial that the bulk of drying has already happened before incorporating the lumber into the wall assembly. Not doing so will create deformation issues as well as problems of rot and fungal growth as excess moisture is trapped in the assembly itself.

It will come as no surprise to North Shore residents, who understand the destructive effects of water and moisture more than most, that unwanted moisture in a wall assembly will lead to a glut of construction problems and needs to be prevented at all cost.

Region's housing costliest in Canada

In my last column I discussed the present state of our real estate market and how economic indicators suggest we're not in the midst of a housing bubble at all.

I made the argument that limited buildable space and our desirable location make for an environment that will maintain high housing prices. What I didn't address was the repercussions of this lack of affordability.

The Royal Bank of Canada's report on housing affordability in Canada issued in August indicated that most housing markets across the country are affordable or slightly "unaffordable" with one major exception: Vancouver.

The L41 ultra-compact home by Vancouver architect Michael Katz and

designer Janet Corne is a mere 220 square feet.

Photograph by: Jon Benjamin, for the NEWS

"By and large, the share of household budgets, taken up by the costs of owning a home at current market values, remains close to historical norms," said Craig Wright, senior vice-president and chief economist with RBC. "However, extremely poor and rapidly eroding affordability in the Vancouver-area market is somewhat skewing the national picture."

RBC's report lists the affordability of owning a detached bungalow as a measure of the percentage of pre-tax household income required to service the costs of owning a home. Vancouver's index came in at a whopping 92.5 per cent. What this means is that the homeownership cost of owning a typical detached bungalow in Vancouver, including mortgage payments, utilities and property taxes, takes up 92.5 per cent of a typical household's monthly pre-tax income.

What this outrageous number unequivocally states is that if you're a typical household in Vancouver not already in the housing market, you might as well forget about owning a typical detached home in the city.

I believe a solution to this conundrum can be found in the so-called small house movement that has gained considerable momentum in recent years. Architect Sarah Suzanka has been credited with starting this movement with the publication of The Not So Big House in 1997.

Her thesis is a simple one: build smaller but build better. She believes that the quality of a living space is not related to its size but rather to the efficacy of its design.

Buildable land on the North Shore is all but gone and we're left with few options. We can go up, of course, and this is a reasonable solution in some cases but densification by building towers is very different than the densification created by low-rise structures knitted more tightly together.

The sense of community and neighbourhood created by these low-rise models are far more intimate, and in my mind far more successful, than the general anonymity of tower living.

A small home could be a stand-alone residence on a smaller lot or be an additional structure on a lot with a home already on it (the coach house concept). Either way, the small home increases density and affordability without deteriorating the quality of a community.

For any of this to happen municipalities will need to amend their existing zoning requirements to permit smaller scale construction. The City of North Vancouver has bravely moved forward in this direction, recently permitting the addition of coach houses on residential properties.

Smaller houses are a logical, economic and environmentally sound solution for a city that is feeling growing pains. There's no question that the singlefamily suburban model is being transformed. We live in a new era where new models for living need to be entertained for the betterment of our communities.

Report refutes rumours of a housing bubble

The numbers are in and it would appear that our sky-high property values are being held together with far more than a thin film of soapy water.

Reports by the Canadian Real Estate Association and Central 1 Credit Union suggest that B.C.'s real estate market may be slowing down but sure isn't a bubble ready to burst.

Central 1 Credit Union's report, issued on Sept. 15 forecasts that the total number of B.C. home-sales will be slightly lower this year from last, dipping down less than a point, but that house prices will soar to an all-time high, up an estimated 6.8 per cent from 2010.

The author of Central 1 Credit Union's report, economist Brian Yu, suggested that low interest rates - which look to stay low until at least early 2013 - and a limited supply of land will keep housing prices moving upwards. But it doesn't end there.

Photograph by: Terry Peters, North Shore News

The most compelling factor to suggest we're not in the midst of a bubble is far more pragmatic: people are living in the homes they buy. According to Yu, market speculation seems to be at normal level, comprising only two to three per cent of the total B.C. market, so if the economy slows there will be less likelihood of a speculation-induced bust as homeowners will tend to hold onto their homes rather than sell them in a weaker market.

Adding ammunition to Yu's argument was the release of the Canadian Real Estate Association's report on the same day suggesting that 70 per cent of markets across the country are in balance. Even a spike of activity in the Vancouver and Toronto markets seen earlier in the year has eased back to normal levels.

I've intuitively felt that our housing values in Vancouver, specifically here on the North Shore, are not artificially inflated but rather reflect desirability of the locale and the limited supply of buildable land that our topography permits. Our communities on the North Shore are delineated by a perimeter of mountains and ocean that creates one of the most beautiful locales on earth while preventing outward growth. The fact that we're only minutes from a thriving, world-class metropolis suggests to me more than ever the adage "location, location, location."

There are those who argue that the trap door will eventually drop but I suspect it won't be anything so dramatic. My instinct tells me that we'll be able to weather whatever market storms come our way.

Make your home more energy efficient

It might have been the scorching temperatures of the Utah desert that swaddled us, or the flash-thunderstorms that disgorged immeasurable volumes of water upon us, but after spending the last few weeks of summer holiday in a small tent with my family the notion of an environmentally sensitive, energy-efficient shelter kept presenting itself to me.

Photograph by: Mike Wakefield, North Shore News

Living in a tent has a way of making one reflect on the simple things that can positively affect the livability of a home and maximize its efficiency. It's straightforward stuff really. By taking a few simple steps one can greatly increase the energy efficiency of the places we live.

Draft-proofing your home is likely the easiest and cheapest way to make energy-efficient gains in your home. Seal things up and your energy bills will drop.

Having a look at your furnace is always a good move. Older furnaces are often oversized and typically have very inefficient motors and heat exchangers. Upgrading to a more energy efficient model will see immediate gains.

Increasing the insulation in your home is a guaranteed way to move towards energy efficiency. A well insulated, well sealed and properly ventilated home will be a warm and comfortable one and will be the most energy efficient solution.

Replacing single glazed windows with double glazed ones will bring huge gains as a single pane of glass has very little insulation qualities.

The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corp. has a number of programs to help out homeowners wishing to make energy-conscious changes to their homes. A quick review of their website will indicate eligibility.

Simply put, an energyefficient home uses less energy and is less expensive to operate. Making some simple changes won't break the bank, you might receive financial assistance to do it, you'll be reducing your greenhouse gas emissions and in the end you'll see significant reductions to your monthly utility expenses.

Make use of nice views

Why is it that so many homes seem to have been plopped onto their site with little or no consideration to the environment they inhabit, their windows appearing as decorative elements facing out to nothing at all while stellar views meet with the blank stare of a solid wall.

Photograph by: Mike Wakefield, North Shore News

Last weekend while exploring my Lynn Valley neighbourhood I was amazed by the number of homes in the area that boast truly remarkable gardens but was equally struck by how few of them actually capture this magnificent landscape splendor for their insides.

Creating a strong connection between the interior and exterior spaces of home, between the man-made and the natural environment, makes for a more livable home. Here on the North Shore our yearround warmer temperatures allow us to utilize our exterior spaces more than most other Canadian locales and it's well worth our while to think about how to better connect our interior and exterior worlds.

One of the simplest ways to do this is to strategically locate a window to capture a desirable view outside.

This might be a view to the mountains, to the ocean beyond or simply to a beautiful tree in your yard, but a conscious effort to frame something from the outside that can be experienced from the inside is the right idea.

Rather than thinking of windows as simply openings to let light in, think of them as picture frames of the world outside. Think about how you will inhabit spaces within the home and what opportunities you have to connect them with the outdoors. I've placed a small window near the floor on one occasion just to capture a view of a small rock garden. A peek-aboo window beside a child's bed that allows a private view, a horizontal window sandwiched between a kitchen counter and its upper cabinet creating a backsplash of garden rather than backsplash tile or vertical slot window that frames a beautiful tree while hiding the garden shed are all good examples of what I'm getting at. Ultimately, breaking away from the preconceived notion of the symmetrically placed window, three feet above the floor in each room is a good place to start.

When designing a new home both the landscape and the physical layout of the home should be designed in tandem as each, ideally, influences the other. Pre-existing homes should weigh the difficulty of landscape manipulation to household reconstruction. The mountain won't move but maybe that Japanese maple can.

Local West Coast modern architects like Ron Thom, Fred Hollingsworth and, of course, Arthur Erickson all loved to blur the line between inside and out, utilizing large planes of glass to capture magnificent views and ultimately to capture the world outside for the inhabitants within.

The concept of home need not be limited to the walls that define it. Understanding the connection between interior spaces of your home and the environment that surrounds it will help you capture some of that outside world as your own.

Entrance key to good layout

As the influential architect and theoretician Christopher Alexander states in his book A Pattern Language: "Placing the main entrance is perhaps the single most important step you can take during the evolution of a building plan."

If the main entry of a home has been placed in a good location the various spaces of a home will naturally fall into place. But if the entry is placed poorly a layout will become confused and disjointed as rooms and spaces attempt to adjust to this improper entry point.

Photograph by: NEWS photo, Mike Wakefield

I believe the concept of entry is far more than just the passing though the threshold of a front door, but rather the transition from one state of mind to another, the feeling that you've entered a place of shelter and security.

Entry to a home begins, in a very real sense, at your first sight of a building. The building appears and you are given an immediate cue to the location of the front entrance as you make your approach. There must be no confusion.

Upon arriving at the edge of the property there should be some sense of a threshold between sidewalk and entry, a line that when stepped across feels like you've moved from the public realm of the street to the more private sphere of the home. This can be treated in a number of ways, from literally stepping through a gateway or arbor to simply changing a level or a surface under foot, but the feeling created should be that of arrival.

As you approach the house through this semi-public zone between building and street your thoughts should further transition to the more private ones associated with home. A step up or down, an altering of texture, light or smell, or a change in direction are all elements that will engage you and bring about this transition.

The physical entrance to the home, the separation space between inside and out, needs to be a symbol of both entry and shelter. It should be differentiated from the rest of the building and provide a place of protection from the elements.

Upon entering the home the entrant should be provided a place to hang their jacket and shed their shoes without being forced to be involved in the activities of another space within the house. This entry space can be treated as something grand or something humble but regardless needs to feel like a space from which you begin your entry into the more private areas of the home rather than feel like you've already arrived in them.

Entering a house involves a psychological shift as much as it does a physical one. It's a transition that affects our thoughts and emotions as we leave the public realm of the street and enter into the private, intimate world of the home. Next time you enter your home, think how you can improve the experience. 

Laundry room redefined

The laundry room today is a far cry from the cramped basement afterthought that so often defined the washer/dryer space of yore.

We've come to understand that a laundry room, enduring the day-to-day use it does, needs to be a place that is both well designed and pleasant to be in.

Laundry rooms come in all shapes and sizes and are as unique as the people that use them. If a new or remodeled laundry room is in your future ask yourself a few questions before you start.

Photo is courtesy of Innovative
Closet Solutions of North Vancouver.

What's the size of your household? Are you an active family with young kids or a more sedentary couple of empty nesters? Do you fold your clothes in the laundry room or bring it somewhere else? Do you typically do lots of smaller loads during the week or just a few larger ones on the weekend? Do you need space to drip-dry clothing? Will you iron there?

Answers to these questions will help shape the design of your laundry room and will help ensure that it best suites your particular lifestyle and habits.

Empty nesters and couples without kids will often find a laundry space close to their bedroom to be most convenient and efficient. The smaller household generally won't require a large laundry space, often needing only an efficient space for sorting and folding clothes with accompanying storage. A bump-out in a corridor with front loading washer and dryer and a countertop above works great for such a scenario and when concealed with fold-away doors, is the perfect setup for efficiency and economy of space.

As households grow so do their rooms and it's no surprise that larger households will typically require a separate, dedicated laundry room to satisfy their needs. The size of the room and how it functions depends strongly on the answers to the questions above. Some families see the laundry room as a multi-functional space that affords the washing and drying of clothes as well as a host of other functions. It's a real trend these days to provide workstations for hobby and project work as well as areas for repotting plants and the like.

Another trend is to incorporate the laundry space within the mudroom. This can be a very successful arrangement especially for active folks who can dump their clothing directly into the wash without having to traipse through the house to find the washing machine. The space ideally has room to hang-dry athletic gear or related outdoor clothing and may even provide a drying rack.

Incorporating the laundry area as part of the kitchen is also a popular trend. It's important to create some differentiation between the two zones though even if their physical relationship is close. The key is to have the capacity to close off the laundry area when needed. The last thing you want when entertaining is to look into the potential ramshackle of a laundry room.

Regardless of its size or location, a laundry room needs lots of work surface and lots of storage. Front loading washer/ dryers are the way to go these days as they allow a countertop to be placed above them for a convenient work surface for sorting and folding.

I like mixing up laundry room storage with both open and closed storage units utilizing open shelves above the sink and appliances for frequently used items (detergent, fabric softener, etc) and closed units to store everything else. I'll always incorporate a tall, full-height cabinet for storing brooms, mops and an ironing board at the end of the room.

The laundry room has taken an important role within the modern home. From the discrete executive arrangement tucked neatly off a corridor to the dedicated room housing a number of other household functions, the laundry room has an essential place within the modern home.

Small room demands a big voice

The powder room is defined as a half-bathroom with a sink, toilet and mirror and is typically located on the main living area associated with the more public to semi-public areas of the home.

Because of its small size the powder room can be relatively straightforward and inexpensive renovation project for anyone wanting to make some refreshing changes to their home. And designing it can be fun.

The powder room is a perfect place to infuse some design pizzazz. It's a small space that wants a big voice to express drama and excitement. Here are a few design tips to make the powder room the expressive room it should be.

Powder room by Interior Solutions 

• Embrace the intense. Don't be afraid to use strong, dark colours or a daring wallpaper for the walls. The added punch will add interest and surprise.

• Create a furnished look. Think about purchasing a one-piece toilet or a wall-mounted variation. Have the toilet appear more like a piece of furniture rather than as a utilitarian plumbing fixture.

• Treat the sink as objet d'art. Vessel-shaped sinks have become very popular theses days coming in all sorts of shapes and materials and they have the wonderful effect of transforming a regular household item into a piece of sculptural art.

• Make the counter shine. The counter your sink sits upon should also play its role. I would suggest a counter with lots of glitter and polish. Recycled glass is an interesting option as is granite, marble or quartz.

• A mirror to reflect it all. You can extend a mirror across the breadth of the room or place it creatively within the space but think about the mirror as a device to make the powder room dynamic and alive.

• A floor for a sophisticated space. The flooring for a powder room should also reflect its character as a special place. Natural stone tiles, granite and marble are popular choices these days as they add that extra level of fine finish. Another popular and successful trend is to use a hardwood floor in the powder room, often carried in from a hallway or an accompanying room.

• Add drama with light. Attaching vanity lights to wall mirror can create beautiful reflective effects within the powder room while adding under counter lights can add a level of sophistication and mood to the space. I've even used a pendant light in a powder room on one occasion to great success. Be creative with your lighting. And don't forget the dimmers.

• Keep your style in sync. Above all make sure the style of the powder room is in keeping with the rest of the home. A nice modern faucet and sink will look totally out of place if incorporated into a traditionally decorated home. Choose a decorative palette appropriate to the style of your home and then let your imagination take over.

The powder room is a small room that demands a big voice. Take some chances, have some fun and create a dramatic room that talks loudly about your home.

Eco-friendly green roof an age-old concept

Recent years have seen a clear and defined shift to a more ecologically conscious building industry. More and more people are looking for products and technologies that not only effectively do the job they are meant to do but also reflect an eco-friendly awareness when doing it. The construction industry is responding.

There's no question that technological advancements in the building industry are allowing us to do more with less and are giving us more ecologically minded options but many of the green building advancements we see today are being created by the simple reintroduction of building practices that have existed all along.

Case in point: the green roof.

The green roof or "living roof" is commonly recognized as a modern, environmentally conscious alternative to a standard asphalt roof but the notion of having contemporary beginnings couldn't be further from the truth.

Archaeological findings on the northern tip of Newfoundland have unearthed the remains of Lief Eriksson's ancient Norse settlement and point to the use of sod roof dwellings by Viking explorers over a thousand years ago.

This is no surprise of course as it was a common building practice for the Scandinavians of yore to use sod atop structures of heavy timber and birch bark to create effective insulating and water resistant roof systems. For these ancient people, the green roof was a simple and effective sheltering system created from building materials that were readily at hand. The green roof as we know it today is clearly different from the sod roof of the past but the fundamental concept behind the two remains the same.

What we define as the "modern" green roof -- the integration of a growing medium over a waterproof roof membrane with the deliberate intent of supporting vegetation growth -- was first developed in Germany in the 1960s.

German designers were first drawn to the idea of a living roof purely along esthetic lines recognizing that the incorporation of a growing medium atop a building's roof would enhance the beauty of the building. But in 1970, the German landscape architect Hans Luz challenged this perception by suggesting that a green roof was far more than a simple decorative covering but rather a feature that would profoundly improve the quality of the urban environment. Today, more than 40 years later, the green roof has finally received mainstream recognition as an ecologically minded system that adds to any sustainable urban management plan.

The modern green roof possesses many benefits that make it an excellent environmentally conscious alternative.

A green roof greatly increases the insulating capacity of a roof system while protecting the waterproof membrane of the roof below. The added mass and thickness of the system provides for excellent sound insulation as well.

Storm-water runoff is greatly decreased by a living roof as the growing medium and vegetation retain large amounts of water that can be released back into the environment at a more manageable rate.

Much of this moisture is released through the process of evaporation which, in itself, creates a cooling effect that helps reduce the urban heat-island phenomena that is so common in our cities today. The large-surface tar and gravel roofs that blanket a typical city roofscape absorb solar radiation and re-emit it back into the city as heat. There's a reason cities are significantly warmer than the areas that surround them. A green roof helps reduce this heat gain.

A living roof is exactly that, a natural surface that provides a habitat for birds and insects while acting as a carbon sink by drawing carbon dioxide out of the air.

As we move forward to create a more ecologically friendly future we might be surprised to find that some answers lie in the past.

Child's room a place for imagination and fun

Designing for children is one of the most enjoyable parts of my job.

Kids intuitively understand the idiosyncratic nature of design and are quick to add their input if given the chance. They live in a place where imagination and reality blur seamlessly between one another and having them involved in the design of their world brings out the most for everyone.

When designing a space for kids it's important to remember that you're not creating a space of serenity more appropriate for an adult but rather a dynamic place of imagination and fun suitable for a child.

Don't be afraid to use colour -- your kids will approve of nothing else -- but try to maintain some boundaries when you do so. A colour scheme can be wild and vibrant but keep a method to the madness by adhering to a concept or theme.

Kids will always have ideas for a theme and won't be lacking in ideas on how to realize it but it's the adult's job to rationalize their dream into a reality. My instinct tells me to move away from branding as much as possible while still capturing the essence of what your child desires. A Harry Potter-themed room for example might best steer clear of the obvious commercial references while still evoking a sense of the fantasy world J.K. Rowling has so brilliantly created.

A kid's place is exactly that and should be scaled accordingly. I'm always amazed how the smallest of spaces can become wonderfully functioning spaces for a wee one. A space too small for us and just right for them will invariably become a special place for your child.

Bunk beds capture this concept well and are always a huge favourite for kids. They provide a perfect get-away space for a child while providing a great space-saving solution as well. On several occasions I've stacked a bed above a small play alcove allowing for a dynamic, above-ground sleeping area while freeing up space below for fun.

On a more pragmatic level, making your kid's room as green as possible is the best thing you can do for your child. Use only low VOC (volatile organic compound) paints and try to use as much solid wood as possible while eschewing off-gasing materials such as fibreboard and plywood. Carpets have a nasty capacity to trap dust, animal dander and mold spores and, when new, off-gas chemicals as well. A wood floor is always a healthier choice. Replacing vinyl window blinds with cotton or linen window coverings is an easy, eco-friendly decision as well.

Designing for kids is great fun and brings out child-like creativity in all of us. If you're thinking about transforming your child's space, make sure to talk to them first and remember it's their world. Scale it for them and let it become a place for invention and play.