Anchor and Drift: A Home on the Beach - Stanley Office of Architecture

This custom lakefront residence is designed for a family with deep roots in the Kootenay area and an extended circle of visiting relatives. Set on a white sandy beach with panoramic views of Kootenay Lake, the home is envisioned as a four-season retreat—one that blends the laid-back atmosphere of a lakeside resort with the durability and functionality of full-time living.

The house is sited between two dramatically contrasting conditions: a busy local highway at the upper edge of the lot, and a quiet, pristine shoreline at the lower. In response, the home is conceived as both ‘buffer’ and ‘procession’—screening views and noise from the road, while drawing movement and attention down toward the beach. Fin walls, outdoor patios, terraced levels, and layered planting reinforce this spatial transition from arrival to immersion.

The interior spaces of the home balance privacy and openness: distinct zones allow for lively gatherings, quiet retreats, and age-specific spaces. The layout orients communal areas—kitchen, dining, and outdoor gathering zones—toward the lake, while placing more intimate functions behind layers of acoustic and visual buffer. The upper floor houses bedrooms for three active children, a guest suite, and a shared family playroom, all arranged to foster both independence and togetherness.

Support spaces are carefully integrated throughout the plan. A generous mudroom and crawlspace storage accommodate watercraft, beach balls, hockey gear, and seasonal equipment. A scullery adjacent to the kitchen supports cooking and entertaining at larger gatherings, keeping the main living space open and uncluttered.

Dramatic horizontal roof planes extend well beyond the interior envelope, sheltering outdoor spaces and amplifying the home’s horizontality. Three vertical chimney towers anchor the composition and lend contrast to the low, panoramic rooflines. The material palette is light and muted—stone, wood, and plaster—reflecting the client’s desire for a relaxed, resort-like atmosphere that complements the natural tones of sand, water, and sky. The weathered hues and textures recall the driftwood that quietly gathers along the shoreline.