“Perched at the highest point of a complex, irregular site, this California-modern home is a study in elevation, light, and composure.”

Our Role
Residential Design, Interior Design

Location
Victoria, BC

Credits
Interior Designer: Robert Blaney
Landscape Designer: Rob Spytz

This home emerged from complexity. The site, defined by slope, irregular lot lines, and the need for zoning variances on all setbacks, demanded not a conventional solution, but a collaborative vision rooted in trust, creativity, and architectural confidence. From the outset, the intent was clear: to elevate the home, both literally and experientially, positioning it at the highest point of the property to capture light, outlook, and a sense of quiet prominence overlooking Victoria Harbour.

Rather than resisting the challenges of the terrain, the design embraces them. The garage is strategically embedded to stabilize and flatten the site, forming a strong architectural base from which the home rises. This maneuver not only resolves grade change but introduces deliberate geometry, allowing the architecture to subtly echo the site’s irregular boundaries. The primary entry sequence follows the natural hierarchy of the land, with the main stair accessed from the higher portion of the road, an arrival that feels intentional, composed, and ceremonial without excess.

Architecturally, Montclair draws inspiration from a California-modern sensibility, where clarity of form and openness take precedence over ornamentation. Broad expanses of glass dissolve the boundary between interior and exterior, flooding the home with natural light and framing long, uninterrupted views. The material palette remains restrained yet warm: soft white masonry, subtle brick accents, wood tones, and finely detailed lighting work together to create depth without visual noise.

This same language continues inside. Interior spaces are calm and luminous, shaped by proportion, flow, and connection to the outdoors. Finishes are timeless and tactile, reinforcing a sense of warmth while allowing light and landscape to remain the dominant features. The result is an environment that feels both serene and elevated, modern, yet enduring.

Montclair is not defined by complexity, but by how effortlessly complexity is resolved. It stands as an example of architecture that leads with clarity, transforms constraints into opportunities, and proves that simplicity, when executed with intention, can be quietly powerful.