Downs House II

It’s easy to slide eyes-first into a story about a remarkably beautiful and well-considered project. Go ahead, feast your eyes! (I’ll wait.) But architecture is always about problem-solving, and the challenges of a significant residential building, such as Downs House II, extend well beyond its initial construction and years of habitation, passing on to the next generation and complicating its future.

What happens when a significant, culturally important building—a celebrated and revered architect’s home (an Order of Canada laureate)—reaches the end of family ownership and is poised for the market? Imagine that, in the 25 years between design and market, property prices have skyrocketed, and there is clamoring demand for the ultra-desirable area of West Vancouver overlooking the Georgia Strait. Now, the “smart” investor will certainly want to tear down the 1,464-square-foot house on a spectacular parcel to maximize the property.