On the market: a monument to 1970s modernism in Vancouver

Built directly into a steep granite slope in Caulfield, West Vancouver, Arbutus House was completed in 1979 by local architect Georg Koslowski. Rather than lifting the structure on stilts, he set it into the terrain itself, its three cascading levels following the natural grade. The result is a stepped interior sequence shaped as much by landscape as by plan. It is currently listed for $2,398,000 with West Coast Modern.

Photography: courtesy of West Coast Modern

Across 2,423sqft of interior living space, cedar siding and cedar-clad ceilings establish material continuity from exterior to interior. A continuous diagonal skylight traces the roof’s slope, cutting across the length of the house and drawing light deep into the core. Corner glazing connects with the skylight to frame uninterrupted vertical views of mature fir, cedar and arbutus trees, with distant ocean beyond.

At the centre of the plan, a courtyard is cut into the slope, its stone-edged pond and waterfall positioned against exposed granite and preserved root systems. The house comprises three bedrooms and three bathrooms, with 1,329sqft of exterior living integrated into the green belt setting.