When two attorneys who work for indigenous groups and nonprofit clients purchased this two-story Vancouver duplex, the top floor was laid out as an open kitchen and living room. Plenty of daylight flowed in through extensive glazing—but the lower level was mostly windowless, and the entryway suffered from a lack of natural light.

Inspired by a wrought iron screen they saw while traveling in Chile, the clients reached out to Haeccity Studios’s Shirley Shen and Travis Hanks to design a perforated screen for the kitchen wall along the staircase. Made of white powder-coated steel, the screen allows daylight to reach the front of the unit.

“The screen kind of filters light down, so you get some nice shadow play along that wall coming down from upstairs,” says Hanks. “It feels like a curtain being drawn away to allow you to come up that stair.”

Before: Stairs

After: Stairs

The screen took shape through multiple iterations before arriving in the form of a thin wall pierced by large circles. The playful, plasma-cut polka dots provide a break from the spare, minimal aesthetic found in the rest of the apartment.

“The stair is the first thing you see when you enter the unit,” says Shen. “In the before photos, you see it was very bland. There was a solid wall, and it was really dark and uninviting. It was important to them that when they came home, they would feel happy and welcomed in that space.”

Before: Bedroom

After: Bedroom

The clients have a passion for minimalism, so they removed all of the trim and baseboards. They also requested floor-to-ceiling doors, and they researched specialty hardware to accommodate the seamless modern look.

Before: Kitchen

After: Kitchen

“The clients really wanted a stark minimalism,” Hanks says. “They wanted the kitchen to be an aesthetic centerpiece to the house, while also being functional.” Despite this minimalist drive, Haeccity persuaded the clients to carve a diagonal cut in the matte quartz island that mirrors the angle of the staircase.

“It took a little convincing,” says Hanks. “They were really dedicated to a minimal aesthetic, although we convinced them to have this cutaway—both to bring some dynamism to the space, and to add functionality so you can get your legs in and out of that island a little more easily.”

Before: Guest Bathroom

After: Guest Bathroom

The guest bathroom lacked access to natural light, so the clients came up with a cost-effective solution to brighten up the space. The tiles in the shower are painted bright yellow, echoing artworks by Michelle Stoney displayed throughout the home.

Related Reading:

A Perforated Screen Brings Privacy and Natural Light to This Bold Venice Home

An Architect Riffs on Chinese Design For Her Grandparents’ Retreat

Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Haeccity Studio Architecture Inc.

General Contractor: Weibel Projects (now Stokk Construction)

Structural Engineer: Fast + Epp

Cabinetry Design: RBM Builders

Photography: Krista Jahnke

Art: Michelle Stoney