real estate

1,,000-square-foot home showcases modern esthetic and eco-friendly features Published Nov 20, 2024  •  Last updated 2 hours ago  •  4 minute read True to its name, this Modcube laneway home by Synthesis Design takes the shape of a modified cube, clad in a mix of sustainable and non-combustible cement panelling – juxtaposed with cedar siding – giving it a modern yet organic feel. An EV charger off the sidewall is another thoughtful touch aimed at greener living. Photo by Dave Sutherland There are two schools of thought on laneway-home design: mimic the style of the main house or do something completely different. These days, Curtis Krahn leans to the second. “We don’t need to create a little mini-me,” says Krahn, founding principal of Synthesis Design. Bylaws, lot sizes and existing architecture create constraints, he says – and you risk forcing a style that doesn’t make sense for the space if you go that route. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Vancouver Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Vancouver Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Sign In or Create an Account or Article content His company’s East 4th laneway project in North Vancouver is a case study in the opposite: a minimalist modern structure sharing a lot with a character home. The laneway house was the first built of the company’s now-signature prefabricated home product, the Modcube. “It’s quite modern, quite simple and complements a variety of styles, rather than competing,” says Krahn. Adding to the abundance of natural light in the home, a mudded-in LED strip in the ceiling crisscrosses the main living space – a detail inspired by commercial spaces and hotels. Photo by Dave Sutherland An open-concept living space on the home’s main floor creates the illusion of a larger space, along with details such as glass panelling at the base of the stairs. Photo by Tina Kulic Though several have now been built, Modcube was a long time coming. When Krahn founded his firm back in 1994, he fully intended to focus on modular and innovative housing. But demand for this type of offering wasn’t there, at least not yet. So, he went on to create a successful custom home and residential renovation business. Over time, the market caught up, and Synthesis launched the Modcube concept in 2019, aiming to fill a growing niche of affordable, pre-fabricated laneway structures. By this point, the company had already designed a slew of custom laneway and small homes – and started seeing common threads. “We thought, rather than doing all of these custom, since we know exactly what everybody wants, we’re going to design the perfect floor plan and prefab it,” Krahn says. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Article content Article content They started with one model, now known as Plan’ A.’ Since then, iterations have multiplied up to ‘G,’ adding flexibility in footprint, esthetic, square footage, floor plan and other customizable traits. But all have one thing in common: they can be built mostly offsite and speedily snapped together on the ground. This reduces not only building costs, but waste and emissions as well, while cutting construction time by around 30 per cent. A dining table tucks into the corner of the kitchen island, for additional seating and surface space. Photo by Tina Kulic Skipping a galley-style kitchen, senior interior designer Julie Lepper and her team opted for an L-shaped layout with an island in the same shape. Two-tone cabinetry in white and rift-cut white oak interplays with a hexagonal-tile porcelain backsplash (Ontario Series by Olympia Tile & Stone). Photo by Tina Kulic “We’re not locked into any one specific prefab company,” adds Krahn. Nor does the contractor need special skills to build a Modcube: “They can do the prep work, dig the hole and put the foundation in, and while they’re doing that, the prefabrication is happening offsite.” By the time the foundation is done, the structure is usually ready to