A Challenging Rebuild Rewards With
Stunning Views

Mount Tolmie attracts many a sightseer looking to capture the breathtaking full-circle view of the South Island and beyond. For one couple, a property nestled amid Tolmie’s Garry oaks promised a unique opportunity for a house that takes advantage of the mountaintop sightlines while enclosed within a canopy of privacy.

The resulting ground-up project incorporates plenty of natural materials with modern sensibilities for a stylish yet thoroughly functional home.

The homeowners purchased the property in 2018 and rented the existing house out for a few years prior to starting any work. The resulting 3,600 square feet of space, from the decks to bedrooms to living areas, has been perfect for the couple to host visiting family and regular dinner parties. With stunning landscape views and Garry oaks all around, the homeowners feel like they’re “living in a tree house.”

BEDROCK BOTTOM
The homeowners had briefly entertained renovating the original house, but remediation logistics and a “crummy configuration” ultimately led to the decision for a custom build — especially since every design decision could then be tailored to the owners’ needs.

The rocky, hillside setting for this home is its greatest selling point — and its biggest challenge, too. The builders ended up blasting into the rock to construct a foundation sturdy enough to support the home. Not only does it now have one of the best views in Victoria, the surrounding rocks are now a singular design feature as well.

ROOMS WITH A VIEW
Perhaps the most stunning features of the home are the 180-degree views from atop Mount Tolmie — which are what convinced architect Pamela Úbeda to take on the project when the homeowners first reached out to Coast + Beam Architecture.

“I can’t say no to a spectacular site,” says Úbeda, who focuses on clear sight lines and incorporating natural light throughout her projects. Úbeda designed the home at a slight angle so the top floor’s west deck has a clear view of PKOLS (Mount Douglas), Observatory Hill and the sprawl of Saanich’s busy urban neighbourhoods. To the east, set above the driveway, a smaller deck is a more wind-sheltered spot to sit and enjoy the intricate canopy of the nearby Garry oak forest — a space the homeowners intend to use as a breakfast nook in the warmer months.

“This allows you to sit outside, enjoy your view, but be protected,” Úbeda says, adding, “For me, always, architecture is about blurring the indoors and outdoors.”

From the top-floor primary bedroom, Mount Tolmie Park rises beyond the southmost window and the distant lights of downtown Victoria sparkle at night from behind its slope. Downstairs, in the office, yet more windows at ground level give front-row seats to passing wildlife, like the deer that rest on the grass mere metres away. With so many picture windows, the homeowners decided not to display as much artwork as they’d planned since the many views act as built-in landscape paintings.

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SPRUCE Magazine – Built into Solid Rock