London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jul 05, 2025

This Minimalist Ski Cabin in Whistler Shines in Every Season

This Minimalist Ski Cabin in Whistler Shines in Every Season

This streamlined home near British Columbia’s Whistler ski resort offers year-round residents elevated log cabin vibes.

When a young, outdoorsy family from Vancouver decided to leave city life behind and move to the mountains full time, they wanted a home that balanced the simplicity of a cabin with the comforts of a primary residence. Evoke International Design, a small Vancouver-based firm, was able to provide them with a home that feels both modern and intimately connected to the rugged landscape the family calls home.



The home’s third floor is cantilevered to offer better views and to create an outdoor terrace for the family to enjoy in the warmer months.

The house occupies a small lot on a hill about a 10-minute drive from the Whistler and Blackcomb ski areas, and it offers a view of both mountains from its upper floor. In order to make the most of the unusual site, the designers configured the home’s layout vertically, with a garage and entrance on the ground floor, bedrooms on the second, and the more public areas of the home on the top floor.



A view of the forest and mountains dominates the living room, while a wood-burning stove keeps the area cozy through long BC winters.



The Gilbert House is clad in matte black wood and concrete, and situated on a steep site.

The site’s steep grade offered no opportunity for a yard or garden, which wouldn’t be an issue for a ski house that’s only used in winter-but it’s not ideal for a year-round home. To solve the problem and give the residents some outdoor space in the summer, the designers articulated the top floor at a 90-degree angle to the rest of the house. "That allowed us to have a south-facing roof terrace to maximize sunlight and views," says Evoke founding partner David Nicolay.



Floor-to-ceiling windows let in plenty of light and provide big views.

Additionally, the cantilevered section of the third floor offers better views and greater sunlight exposure for the living spaces inside. In a bid to reflect the traditional ski lodge architecture of the area-which features lots of log cabins and timber-heavy buildings-while also keeping things contemporary, Nicolay opted to clad the building in cedar. Inside, the floors, walls, and ceilings are planked with pale oak.



A minimal material palette is a hallmark of Evoke International Design’s projects.

A wood-burning stove and marble-topped kitchen island anchor the contemporary living room. In front of the sectional sofa, floor-to-ceiling windows maximize light exposure and offer the family unobstructed views of the coniferous forest and the mountains beyond. The effect of the limited material palette and sparse layout is a very minimal, contemporary space that Nicolay says is in keeping with his firm’s aesthetics.



Riserless stairways connect the home’s three levels while allowing light to filter down below.

"Using only one type of material on the inside pares back distraction," he explains. "We are almost creating a kind of tunnel with the materials, so that they eye focuses on the view."



The spacious master bathroom.

Although it has many of the features of a ski house-such as a sauna and outdoor hot tub (accessible from the second floor), ski lockers, a changing area, and places to hang wet gear on the ground floor-the details and level of customization make it more than a weekend escape. Custom cabinetry, marble-clad bathrooms, and unique inspirational wall art make it as special in the spring, summer, and fall as it is when the snow is falling.



One unique touch is the mural in the kitchen.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
×