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Beside a simple but spacious kitchen, the living area is meant to be warm and casual.

The great room acts as a kind of fulcrum for the L-shaped house: the vaulted apex of its roof and ceiling, and a combined living-dining-kitchen space for the clients and their children to gather.

The small ridge on which the home is built was augmented by stacked-stone retaining walls.

The house is arranged in a modified L-shape, with shared public spaces in the east wing (at left), the master bedroom at the western corner, and a four-bedroom residential wing (right) facing north.

The three arms of the Apfel House stretch out to catch the best views of Ranco Lake and the Andes Mountains.

In British Columbia’s Soo Valley, only some 20 minutes from Whistler skiing, this off-grid residence designed by Perkins & Will is a pilot for Delta Land Development’s future alpine settlement. Principally powered by the sun, it’s built to Passive House standards, collecting its own water and treating its own waste. Heated by a GeoExchange geothermal pump, it also embraces natural ventilation with cleverly placed windows.

The nearly 2,500-square-foot house is built primarily from locally sourced Douglas fir.

The home’s windows are strategically placed to provide ventilation and minimize heat gain/loss.

An expansive deck maximizes outdoor living opportunities.

A steel roof holds up against the weight of British Columbia’s heavy snowfall.

The SOLO House’s main source of energy is the sun. One side of the structure is lined with solar panels that help power the house.

The sunken living room is just one of many grade changes inside the structure. “We were adamant that we didn’t want something domestic,” says Andrew. “We wanted something surprising, that was hyper-animated, and that, when you moved through it, changed all the time.” The sofa, designed by the couple and Levenbetts, is upholstered in cotton velvet. The Habibi side tables are by Philipp Mainzer for e15, the fireplace tools by Fort Standard, and the doors by Fleetwood.

The living and dining room look out to the central courtyard, promoting indoor/outdoor living. Here, five doors slide into a pocket in the wall to create a nearly 23-foot-wide opening on one side looking into the garden. Another set on the opposite side enhances cross ventilation.

With windows facing the lake, Donna and Oliver have a front-row seat to the action every day. "It’s water that you just want to look at every day because even though it's a vast plane it changes all the time," says Lolley.

On the second floor, a master suite flows onto a terrace with a ribbon fireplace.

The dining area features an oak table with metal legs, created by the local company Double Butter. The chairs are by Arhaus, and the light fixture is by Hammerton Studio. The living room is fitted with vintage chairs.

A 16-foot-wide, multi-slide door leads from the main living area to a covered patio.