• Client:

  Peck & Skarlicki Families

• Size:

  190 m²

• Budget:

  Withheld

• Completion Date:

  2007 (Unbuilt)

• Location:

  Little Shuswap Lake, BC

Switchback house is a three season holiday home planned for the north shore of Little Shuswap Lake for two families – one based in Calgary and the other in Vancouver. Accessible only by water, the site has a stringent setback requirement from the foreshore. This combined with a 40% grade change means that all supplies coming and going from the site will be hand carried up nearly four stories. Thus the first organizing device for the site is a sloped path suitable for a wheelbarrow to traverse the site from the existing beach. The “wheel barrow promenade” arrives at a rock bench and determines the location of the store room and main entry stair.
The house is organized for cabin life for two families that will use the building together and alone during the course of the summer. The main floor is comprised of platforms of program that continue the gradual progression up the slope. In plan and section smaller spaces comprised of sleeping and support areas gather around and define major living spaces.
A modest budget combined with water access only requires a site utilization strategy that limits the need for heavy equipment. Choosing composting toilets rather than a conventional septic system combined with a small building footprint means that the site can be excavated by hand. Raising the main floor above grade minimizes the amount of concrete required on site. Barge access and hand carried materials required light materials that were compact on the barge. For example large spans for the cantilevered decks and overhangs are built from small dimension lumber sheathed with plywood skins. Cladding is metal standing seam.
The site offers beetle kill wood which will be harvested and milled for the exposed timber roof structure. The talus deposits of volcanic tuff are angular and perfect for dry stacking into retain walls and paved areas.