The concept of this modern Helmut Eppich House Designed by Arthur Erickson location in West Vancouver, Canada with concrete frame structure makes very effective use of a large site, which was formerly considered unbuildable. Thus, it was only natural that the landscape concept emerged even before the modern house. It is a concrete house of stepped terraces extending laterally across the site, withheld by concrete retaining walls, with concrete beams and columns supporting the roofs and trellises. The house itself, a 3-level structure, retains the hillside and only the carport is visible from the street above. The property, used as a fill dumping ground and in shadow most of the time, presented an especially challenging siting problem.

Modern Helmut Eppich House concrete frame structure

Modern Helmut Eppich House withheld by concrete retaining walls

Modern Helmut Eppich House columns supporting the roofs and trellises

Modern Helmut Eppich House stepped terraces extending laterally across

Part of a stream running through the site was diverted to form a small lake providing an intimate focus and bringing reflected light into the middle of the dark lot. The house descends through four offset levels: garage and storeroom at the top, children’s bedrooms and the main entrance on the second level down; living room, dining area and kitchen, and swimming pool are on the third main level; the den, master bedroom, and the basement are on the fourth or lake level.