Architect Clinton Cuddington didn’t even have to visit this 1950s split-level home in North Vancouver to have a good idea of what it was like, so common is this housing style in the region. “It falls within a very distinct typology of building, which was indicative of the ’50s and British Columbia,” says Cuddington, who leads Measured Architecture.

A site visit soon confirmed Cuddington’s hunch, as the entry to the long and lean home immediately opens onto a stair landing. “In this typology of structure, you enter mid-span and you rise up to the living, or you descend down into the basement,” says Cuddington. “A version of it in Vancouver is called the ‘Vancouver Special.’”

“The first impression on the walkthrough was that it had these incredible, long views. It’s a long view that rivals Versailles,” says Cuddington with a laugh. “So, we immediately started to think about the ways in which the building could be responsive to the site.”

The homeowners, a couple with two children, relished the deep, tree-lined lot. They needed better sightlines to the yard, not just for their enjoyment, but for safety as well, since bears are common in the neighborhood. Measured Architecture responded by installing floor-to-ceiling sliders and windows all along the rear, creating unimpeded views from the kitchen and dining room.

Before: Rear Facade

After: Rear Facade

In order to create a private master suite for the parents, the team composed a trapezoidal extension off of the rear. Its form “emerges up and out of the existing geometry of the building, almost as if there was excess paper when one folds origami,” says Cuddington. “It has a Brian Eno look to it because it’s a surrender moment where you just let the shape tell you what it wants to be.”

Not only does the addition frame excellent views of the backyard, its extruded form fashions a protected seating area beneath it that can be used across seasons.

Before: Living and Dining Room

“There was this odd desire in the ’50s to conceal, and a celebration of a lot of building materials in their ability to conceal,” says Cuddington. For the main living spaces, the firm’s approach was one of “getting back to the existing structure and then neutralizing with a single color palette for the walls, ceilings, and baseboards.”

After: Living and Dining Room

Shop the Look

Before: Kitchen

After: Kitchen

After: Master Suite

More Before & After:

A 1974 Airstream Renovation Radiates Modern Mountain Cabin Vibes

A Mixed-Up Montauk Beach House Gets a Sleek New Look

A Grand Rapids Kitchen Goes From Dark and Woody to White and Bright

Project Credits:

Architecture: Measured Architecture / @measuredarchitecture

Builder: PWS Contracting

Structural Engineer: Fast + Epp Partners

Interior Design: Measured Architecture

Cabinetry: Design by Measured; Installation by Radical Millworking

Photography: Ema Peter Photography

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Before & After: A Humdrum Midcentury in Vancouver Gets an Origami-Like Addition