A group of families first purchase a piece of land to build small houses around a shared garden. Located in Squamish B.C. Hummingbird House is a compact structure, built of solid timber panels, for a family of 4. The home is 1400 SF plus garage. The open living area faces south, arranged around a flexible outdoor space that provides protection from the Squamish winds and rain. Upstairs, compact bedrooms and shared spaces create a unique living experience. Carefully placed windows frame views to the surrounding landscape, provide privacy, and filter light through the solid wood interior.
The design process involved a significant (and very enjoyable) collaboration between owner, architect, engineer, timber modeller, and contractor. One of the homeowners is a millworker, who acted as the general contractor and completed much of the work including the millwork, interior panelling, exterior cladding and timber canopies. The CLT structure was erected quickly over 3 days, allowing the interior work to proceed under cover. The building is insulated using a breathable assembly that wood fibre insulation boards, vapour permeable weather barrier, and rainscreen cladding. The cladding was custom fabricated with random width boards and assembled using stainless steel screws. The highly insulated building envelope, combined with the exposed wood interior creates a unique interior environment with stable humidity, temperature and acoustics. Heating is with radiant floors and a wood stove.
