Influential builder Bob Lewis was known for designing practical homes that were customized for individual families. Today, a West Vancouver home stands as an example of how those structures can be adapted to the wants of future owners, decades down the line.
Located near Whytecliff Park and Batchelor Bay, the post and beam house at 6926 Marine Dr. has been listed for $2.8 million.
Originally built in 1959 for the Patterson family, the two-storey, three-bedroom, three-bathroom, 2,140-square-foot home has undergone significant renovations over several years ending in 2022. The updates were spearheaded by homeowner and furniture designer Christian Woo with the help of architect Chris Hunter.
While the core structure remains, the home has been updated with a monochromatic colour scheme throughout. Designer finishings have been added, along with high-end appliances, new storage features and light fixtures in a modernist style.
Dubbed the “Batchelor Bay Brutalist,” the home was highlighted by the North Shore Heritage Preservation Society in 2023, among other Bob Lewis homes.
“The current owners of this home have taken the strong bones of their Lewis house and the personal design style of one of the owners, who is a furniture designer, to re-imagine a home that is textbook ‘Brutalism’ in its simple lines, monochromatic palette and utilitarian feel,” writes society vice-president Jennifer Clay.
“Overall, they have created a home with its own unique identity while bringing forward the quintessential elements of a Lewis post and beam,” she said.
The Patterson house has also been praised by the West Coast Modern League.
“The alterations to the floor plan, to the removal of walls in place of custom millwork, and a sophisticated colour and material palette, is one of the clearest and most innovative visions we have seen for the ability of these homes to grow and change for contemporary lifestyles,” the league wrote in a recent social media post.
