HASTINGS
MILL
Situated at the edge of Hastings Mill Park in Vancouver, the Hastings Mill Residence is a deconstructed cube — a bold residential response to the neighbouring AA Robbins Cube House to the south. Where the Robbins house asserts its geometry with rigid conviction, the Hastings Mill home pulls that cube apart, animating its mass into a series of interlocking forms that reach toward ocean and mountain views while remaining firmly rooted to its urban site. The home is a Net-Zero build.
The design begins with an inversion. In most homes, living spaces occupy the ground floor and bedrooms claim the upper level. The Hastings Mill Residence flips that convention entirely — locating bedrooms below and placing the principal living spaces on the upper floor. The result is a home that lives above the street, capturing panoramic views of the ocean and North Shore mountains while preserving a degree of privacy rarely achieved on an urban corner lot.
The upper-floor living space is open, luminous, and uncompromising. White oak cabinetry, honed stone countertops, and bleached hardwood floors establish a warm, natural palette that recedes gracefully in favour of the views beyond. Floor-to-ceiling glazing frames the marina and the mountains as a living composition — changing with the light, the weather, and the seasons. The client described the experience simply: "it feels like living in a tree house."
At the heart of the home, a sculptural curved stair acts as an anchoring element across all three levels. Its sweeping white form and sinuous handrail are experienced differently from every vantage point — from below, it soars; from above, it spirals downward like a unfurling ribbon. A cascade of globe pendants follows its arc through the void, becoming as much installation as illumination
On the exterior, a bespoke vertical aluminum screen addresses the home's exposure to Hastings Mill Park. Acting simultaneously as solar control and privacy filter, the screen allows generous fenestration toward the park without sacrificing the calm, interior world of the home from public view. Brick and aluminum panel complete the exterior palette — materials chosen for their durability, their texture, and their capacity to read as one simple, bold form.
"It feels like being in a tree house."
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Builder: Nestworks Construction
Interior Designer: Raveninside Interiors
Photos: Paul Grdina