Gambier Island

Booking your Gambier Island, CA holiday home online.

OMB boom Gambier Island House over a rock face

The Vancouver Studios MGB has created "a modern model of a cottage in the forest", which consists of glass crates piled up with a view of the ocean in the British Columbia area. It is a McFarlane Green Biggar (MGB) cottage for one and two kids on Gambier Island in Howe Sound near Vancouver.

Situated on the northeastern coastline of the island on the side of a rock, the building's superimposed volume nestles against the nearby rocky cliffs and boulders for a stunning view of the seas. They described the wood and fibreglass designs as "a more up-to-date forest hut that offers the fundamental joys of a present-day home while at the same time gently resting on the floor to minimize its effects on the environment".

Since the site can only be reached by ship via an adjoining privately owned bay, the use of cement and other building material had to be minimised in order to minimize the number of deliveries necessary. Much of the building components were pre-fabricated outside the site and installed with care to minimize the effects of the building procedure on the area.

Both of the building's piled spaces are covered with timber, concrete slabs and glazing, which were selected for their easy installation and compliance with the environment. In the basement there is an entry lobby leading to an open eat-in and lounge area with room-high doors along two sides that frame the view of the city.

There is a stairway next to the entry leading to the first storey and has floor-level and above-ground window that lets the sunshine drop onto the blank partitions. There are three double rooms on the upper storey of a hallway that extends along the whole length of the underfloor. The hallway is glassed-in on the outside world.

Sunroofs on the lower floor, which is enclosed by glass railings, are opened by means of slide down the glass walls to provide a clear view. MacKay Lyons Sweetapple Architects have created another stunning seaview vacation home in Canada for a plot of land in Nova Scotia, on ribbed land just a few meters from the city.