Calgary River Home

About the Project

Services: planning and design, custom home build, green home features

A client purchased an empty lot in a beautiful Calgary neighbourhood. Facing the Bow River, the lot is located on a quiet street that features a mix of custom and pre-existing two-storey houses. The client decided to build their own custom home and approached OnGrowing Works’ partner, Sociis Design, to complete the plan and design. Sociis Design worked closely with all the client to ensure the house’s design reflected everyone’s vision. OnGrowing Works started constructing the house in August 2021.

Solution

The client’s vision was to design a two-story home that fit their lifestyle and took into consideration a potential flood zone environment. The home’s plan and design incorporated the following:

Raised main floor and no basement:

Because the home is located in a flood zone, the house is specifically designed without a basement so that the client doesn’t need to worry about flooding and water damage. To further mitigate flooding, the main floor is raised 42 inches above the ground. Once the home is built, the landscape will also incorporate techniques to minimize flooding risks.

Three-car garage:

Because there isn’t a basement, the client required more storage space, so a three-car garage is included in the design.

Unique roofline:

The client had a clear vision for the roof design and roof line, so Sociis Design incorporated a coastal look to meet this goal.

Open concept design and non-obstructed river views:

The client wanted to ensure they could see the beautiful river view from wherever possible in their home. One of the primary ways this was achieved was by designing the living room at the back of the house so it’s hidden, private and personal, while also looking out at the river. In addition, both the living room and kitchen are open concept so that walls don’t obstruct the view. The design also incorporates a unique 21” folding door system that easily opens and slides to the side, literally opening the living area to the scenery beyond.

Three bedrooms:

One master bedroom and two additional bedrooms are included in the design. It was important to the client that the additional bedrooms face the river view. In addition, each of the additional rooms includes a walk-in closet that leads to a private bathroom. The bathroom doors resemble closet doors so that the bathrooms are completely hidden and private. The master bedroom faces the street and has a private deck, walk-in closet and a master ensuite with a shower and tub. It also includes vaulted ceilings with windows that provide bright, natural lighting.

Unique kitchen space:

The kitchen’s design allows the client to prepare food while simultaneously engaging with anyone in the living room. It also includes an 8-foot island, and the client specifically wanted the mud room and pantry combined and attached to the garage so that groceries don’t have to be carried through the house.

Alignment and symmetry:

Features throughout the house are aligned to create a sense of flow and symmetry in the entire space.

Gym and laundry space:

A gym and laundry are included in one convenient area on the upper floor.

Family room:

A family room can be found on the second floor with a landing space to watch movies.

Green home features:

It was important to the client to incorporate sustainable features into the house to decrease their environmental footprint and create a healthy living space. Solar panels were selected to meet the demands of the home, with room for expansion as technology improves toward the use of solar. To maximize the amount of sunlight, the bedrooms and living area were designed facing either south, east or west, while rooms that are not used often face north. In addition, instead of installing a traditional furnace, the client chose hydronic in-floor heating which distributes heat evenly throughout the home. Also, a metal product that is 100 per cent recyclable and requires zero maintenance was chosen for the house’s exterior. While this material is metal, it mimics the look of wood. For the interior selections, the client chose vinyl plank. Finally, triple glazed windows were chosen to minimize heat loss.