Accoya® Re-Folded House
Accoya® Wood and the Re-Folded House
Located on a floodplain, this home is a perfect confluence of natural materials and the natural world. Utilizing the sustainable Accoya® Wood as siding to withstand the moisture and blend into the surrounding forest, the Re-Folded House holds respects for its land while and captures a uniquely modern architectural style.
Siding & Decking
Accoya® WoodSiding & Decking
The Project:
The house is set on a delta formed by a sediment deposit in the meandering bends of the Fraser River—the longest undammed river in North America. This land is vulnerable to flooding, particularly during periods when heavy rainfall coincides with high tides. Accoya®, a high-performance naturally modified wood developed for use in groundwater contact situations, is used throughout the project.
The unique variegated "sticker" marks, an artifact of industrial processing, serve as a visual reminder of the wood's acetylation process, which makes it durable, stable, and long-lasting in waterlogged conditions. The wood has been left to naturally weather to soft grey tones that are reminiscent of the retained hemlock trees on the site. The lowest level of the house is constructed to endure these events.
Folded walls and ceilings create flexible and irregular thresholds and angled stages that encourage spaces to flow from one area to the next. Angled walls force movement through the house that is cinematic in nature. Glimpses of views, spaces, and light can be seen around every bend. Because most spaces have a multi-faceted reading, efforts were made to blur normal programmatic signifiers like doors and hallways. The project is a meditation on the interrelationship between the natural world and the object, where all the design decisions try to re-imagine a family house in a very particular location. Folding, whether on the land, with the house, or with its material language, plays a role in reflecting an understanding of this place and the people who live there.
Accoya® Wood is a natural product that perfectly conforms to the values of sustainability and performs to the ethical and environmental standards of this project. Its strength, weather-resistance, and low-maintenance make Accoya® the ideal natural finish to the Re-Folded House exterior.
Project: Re-Folded House
Location: Vancouver
Date of Project: 2024
Architect: Mcleod Bovell Modern Houses
Products Used: Accoya® Wood
Photo Credit: Ema Peter
Website: ArchDaily Re-Folded House
