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.