This house in Brio, Whistler, came with more challenges than the pre-purchase inspection had revealed. After purchase, sloping floors, inadequate support beneath the upper level, and water damage that had led to mould all became apparent. Before the house could be reimagined, its underlying problems needed to be addressed.

The site posed a different challenge. The garage sat at the bottom of a short, steep driveway—an awkward and potentially unsafe arrangement in a Whistler winter. Although the property had substantial land, most of it lay on slopes too steep to use comfortably in any season.

The renovation brief began with making the two-level house sound and comfortable to live in. From there, the aim was to open the kitchen, dining and living areas into a shared space oriented towards the surrounding green landscape.

Outside, the programme explored how to make more of the steep Brio site: reconsidering access to the garage, creating usable outdoor areas for family and friends, and allowing the wooded lower portion of the property to retain its wild character.

From the street, the Brio house appears to be a little Whistler chalet tucked into the hillside. Inside, it unfolds into a generous, light-filled home—a surprise that still makes first-time guests pause at the door.

The open kitchen, dining and living space looks towards the green landscape. It holds the rhythms of family life as easily as the impromptu coffees and dinners shared with friends.

Outside, two level lawns make room to gather and linger on a once-steep site. Below them, at street level, the land returns to a wild forest. Each terrace offers a different way to inhabit the landscape, from the sociable to the quietly magical.