Bachman Residence

Custom Features

• The artistic creativity of this project made it an absolute joy to build (sculptures, shells, fossils, rocks, metals, and glass are some of the materials embedded into these SIREWALLS)
• Healthy materials were extremely important to these clients: their daughter, who had chronic Asthma prior to moving into the house, was able to throw away her puffer within a year
• Over 300 tons of mass combined with passive solar design makes this building thermally efficient
• Visually reduced neighbourhood impact achieved by building the home into the sloped site and allowing the landscape to run seamlessly over the house (green rooftops), blending it in with its natural environment
• Radiant heat, puddled earth floors, geothermal heat pump, oxygen-treated septic, recycled beams and rafters, sustainable-harvest timbers, HRV, masonry stove, cold cellar and sod roof

Technical Details

• Use of local and recycled materials greatly reduces the environmental impact of the building
• Backfill depths as high as 12-feet with fully underground rooms receiving natural light through skylights and south-facing windows
• First two storey, curving, insulated rammed earth walls in the world

Awards and Recognition

• 2000 Georgie Award Best Kitchen – New
• 2000 Georgie Award Best Interior Design for a Custom Home or Renovation
• 2000 Georgie Award Outstanding Consideration to Environmental Awareness
• 2000 Georgie Award Best Home Builder in BC Small Volume
• 2000 CARE Award Best Bathroom (New or Renovated)
• 2000 CARE Award Best Interior Feature (New or Renovated)
• 2000 CARE Award Best Interior – Residential
• 2000 CARE Award Project of the Year
• 2000 CARE Award Best Single Family Detached Home Over 3,000 sq.ft.
• 2000 CARE Award Best Kitchen Design (New or Renovated) More Than 250 sq.ft.

Location: Salt Spring Island, British Columbia
Architect / Designer: PVH Design
Builder: Terra Firma Builders