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Writer's Retreat
Writer's Retreat
qathet Regional District, BC, Canada
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Other Projects by Laura Killam Architecture
Writer's Retreat
qathet Regional District, BC, Canada
Type
STATUS
Built
YEAR
2019
SIZE
0 sqft - 1000 sqft
BUDGET
Undisclosed
Photos
Tucked into the forest on a remote island off the coast of British Columbia, the Writer’s Retreat is the final destination in a long journey from the city — by floatplane, boat, then on foot through sand and seaweed, up from the beach to the meadow. The transition is physical and sensory, but also mental; the steady hum of city life fades into the rustle of wind through trees, inviting stillness and focus.
A writer engaged Laura Killam Architecture (LKA) to design a quiet, creative refuge —an independent space on a family vacation property now shared by multiple generations. The original cabin, generous but too large to occupy alone in the off-season, sits low in a meadow at the foot of a forested hill. LKA sited the Retreat higher on the slope to capture afternoon light streaming through a grove of ancient, wind-sculpted Western Red Cedars and out toward views of the Salish Sea.
The 650-square-foot structure is composed of two offset volumes, creating a partially covered entry and a private forest-facing deck. One volume contains the living, writing, and bathing spaces; the other houses the bedroom and private deck access. A deep outdoor shower connects to both the beach and the bath — an ideal sequence for the writer’s late afternoon swims. A built-in tub is tucked into a glazed niche, warmed by the sun as it sinks through the trees.
The architecture echoes the site’s vernacular: grey-stained cedar board-and-batten siding, cedar shingles, and exposed timber structure. A dramatic diagonal Douglas Fir ridge beam lifts the roof toward the northwest to gather light. Inside, warm cedar walls, Douglas Fir windows and floors, smoke soapstone counters, and smooth pebble tile evoke the surrounding forest and shore. Carefully detailed built-ins provide ship-like storage to reduce visual clutter—allowing the mind to clear, and the work to begin.
A writer engaged Laura Killam Architecture (LKA) to design a quiet, creative refuge —an independent space on a family vacation property now shared by multiple generations. The original cabin, generous but too large to occupy alone in the off-season, sits low in a meadow at the foot of a forested hill. LKA sited the Retreat higher on the slope to capture afternoon light streaming through a grove of ancient, wind-sculpted Western Red Cedars and out toward views of the Salish Sea.
The 650-square-foot structure is composed of two offset volumes, creating a partially covered entry and a private forest-facing deck. One volume contains the living, writing, and bathing spaces; the other houses the bedroom and private deck access. A deep outdoor shower connects to both the beach and the bath — an ideal sequence for the writer’s late afternoon swims. A built-in tub is tucked into a glazed niche, warmed by the sun as it sinks through the trees.
The architecture echoes the site’s vernacular: grey-stained cedar board-and-batten siding, cedar shingles, and exposed timber structure. A dramatic diagonal Douglas Fir ridge beam lifts the roof toward the northwest to gather light. Inside, warm cedar walls, Douglas Fir windows and floors, smoke soapstone counters, and smooth pebble tile evoke the surrounding forest and shore. Carefully detailed built-ins provide ship-like storage to reduce visual clutter—allowing the mind to clear, and the work to begin.
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