Yield House

Yield House
© Ema Peter

Yield House

Splyce Design

ARCHITECTS
Splyce Design

BUILDING ENVELOPE
Integris Building Science

GLAZING
Atlas Meridian

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Aspect Engineers

MANUFACTURERS
Swisspearl, Schuco

LEAD ARCHITECTS
Nigel Parish

BUILDER
Adisa Homes

PHOTOGRAPHS
Ema Peter

AREA
5700 Ft²

LOCATION
Vancouver, Canada

YEAR
2021

CATEGORY
Houses

Located in Vancouver’s westside on an east-west oriented site, the Yield House was designed for hosting multiple family guests throughout the year.

A concrete wall, with a cantilevered stair, is the first in a series of built layers in the landscape that define the pedestrian sequence from the road to the main entry.

Yield House
© Ema Peter
Yield House
© Ema Peter
Yield House
© Ema Peter

Separated by 17 feet in height, the house is perched high above the sidewalk below, removed from any awkward sight lines from the street, and compromised privacy.

A continuous dark band of cementitious panels defines the silhouette of the front elevation, while large glazing panels maintain a sense of light and levitation of the home.

Yield House
© Ema Peter
Yield House
© Ema Peter
Yield House
© Ema Peter

Concealed window frames and reductive detailing allow interior spaces to dissolve into the adjacent landscape and views beyond.

On the main floor, a north-south axis punctuated by windows on either end marks a subtle rotation in the plan towards the panoramic view and defines an informal boundary between the spaces.

A timber ceiling further articulates this division and brings warmth and texture to the balance of the white palette.

Yield House
© Ema Peter
Yield House
© Ema Peter

Large sliding glass doors open to a deck on grade at the rear of the house, enlarging the space and integrating the inside with the out.

The main staircase is bathed in a continuous yet ever-changing quality of light from the skylight/roof deck access above and the tall window to the west, framing views of the cedar and fir trees in the near distance.

Yield House
© Ema Peter
Yield House
© Ema Peter

The interior is kept deliberately quiet in its materiality and formal layout.

The main social spaces are grouped as one - kitchen, dining, and living, while other supporting spaces are discreet, yet connected - a prep kitchen is accessed by a door disguised as part of the kitchen millwork, while the mudroom is tucked conveniently behind the main kitchen.

Yield House
© Ema Peter
Yield House
© Ema Peter

Other informal spaces are intended for retreat and solitude, but not as a total departure from the overall. A home office hides behind the main living room wall, and a library with a seating nook consumes the upper floor stair landing.

Yield House
© Ema Peter
Yield House
© Ema Peter


Yield House
© Ema Peter
Yield House
© Ema Peter
Yield House
© Ema Peter
Yield House
© Ema Peter
Yield House
© Ema Peter


Yield House
Basement Floor Plan
Yield House
Main Floor Plan
Yield House
Upper Floor Plan