RUFOUS-HAUS

2025  |  KITSILANO, VANCOUVER, BC  |  CANCELED

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Rufous Haus began with a daring premise: to channel the iconic rhythm and elegance of New York’s brownstones into a single-family home with a secondary suite, adapted for Kitsilano’s compact lots and modest budgets. The client wanted it all: Queen Anne grace, Brooklyn grit, Craftsman warmth, and a statement of personal identity. We embraced that ambition, translating it into a vertically layered plan and expressive façade that feels at once historic and contemporary.

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The narrow, stacked layout, with living spaces stretched across three levels—takes its cue from traditional brownstone planning logic, offering strong street presence, interior efficiency, and an elegant vertical procession. A full ground-level secondary suite was integrated seamlessly, with its own generous kitchen, private entry, and access to light-filled living space, showing that density can be both beautiful and humane.

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Colour played a central role in shaping the home’s identity. Inspired by the iridescent feathers of the rufous hummingbird, we chose a deep copper-red siding paired with green-black trim and gold accents—echoing the masonry depth and contrast of East Coast walk-ups, but through a West Coast material sensibility. The result is a palette that feels both rare and rooted, grounded in nature while nodding to the brownstone tradition.

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Despite its cancellation due to shifting priorities, Rufous Haus remains one of our studio’s most distilled statements on value-driven, story-rich design. At Longpre Architecture, we believe character doesn’t require cost overruns, and originality doesn’t mean excess. This house proves both.

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