Hauschka House, 1963

• Constructed 1963
• Location West Vancouver, BC
• Architect
  Earl de Luca (1963)
• Use Dwelling

Hauschka House sits on the fringes of the city’s treeline oriented toward vast views of the ocean and out to the very edges of Metro Vancouver and the eastern flank of the Islands. Low in profile yet palatial in floor area, the home was constructed in 1963 for Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Hauschka. Designed by architect Earl de Luca, the home was sited horizontally across the width of the site with its back turned to the street, typical of modern west coast homes, and with a full wall of glass maximizing sunlight and the dramatic sightlines of the property to the south.

The plan of the house is laid out in a rational grid, utilizing simple post-and-beam construction, with the beam lines arranged to carry the eye out towards the view. The progression of the program is laid out with secondary bedrooms and preparatory spaces on the darker, north side of the house, while the primary and common living areas are set to the southern view side of the home, anchored at one end by a large stone-clad fireplace. The middle bay of the plan is punctuated by two outdoor courtyards on either end, while the roof pops up with clerestory windows over the entrance hall, both allowing natural light to permeate in the center of the home. Stepping down the topography of the site, the lower level, encompassing spaces for recreation, opens out onto a pool deck. Throughout, the interiors of the home feature a usual west coast palette of natural stone, cedar, and douglas fir, much of which appears to be original to the design.