Architects:Omar Gandhi Architects

Year:2025

Photographs:Felix Michaud

Category:Houses

Country:Canada

Text description provided by the architects. Omar Gandhi Architects, the Canadian architecture studio, completes a stunning suspended coastal residential project. Set along the rugged Atlantic coastline of Nova Scotia, East River Residence is a house suspended within its environment—a quiet settlement on the shoreline that responds closely to the land, the weather, and the shifting horizon.

Conceived as a contemplative retreat, the home responds directly to its context, nestled in an understated valley between two steep, rocky embankments, revealed only after following the shoreline and passing through dense coastal forest. The architecture spans lightly across this natural depression, bridging between the elevated banks and touching the ground with minimal intervention.

Supported by a series of slender steel columns, the structure allows the terrain to flow beneath it, preserving the continuity of the land. Above, a long metal-clad offset gable hovers over a cedar-wrapped base, its form subtly shifting in response to interior program, light, and view. Designed for a couple relocating from Montreal in pursuit of a quieter life, the design creates connections between this new lifestyle and the landscape and weather that define the area.

"At East River, our goal was to craft an experience rooted in intrigue and discovery," says Jordan Rice, Partner. "As you move through the site, the architecture gradually reveals itself, engaging the landscape in deliberate and unexpected ways while honoring the original ambitions and identity of the place."

Roof geometry plays a key role in shaping experience; the roof line lifts to crest over the boulders, and extended overhangs dissolve the boundary between building and landscape, allowing the architecture to feel both grounded and expansive. Over the main living spaces, the roof lowers to capture southern light and foster intimacy, while in the property's yoga studio, it lifts upward, opening expansive views toward the coastline and the open ocean beyond. This modulation creates a varied spatial rhythm while maintaining a cohesive architectural language.

Interior and exterior spaces are closely interwoven throughout the home. Large openings draw the surrounding landscape deep into the interior, while sheltered terraces and outdoor rooms encourage movement across thresholds. Omar Gandhi Architects have used cohesive materials throughout, with smooth transitions in materiality that echo the shifting scenery.

"The material palette, with its gently weathered soft grey tones, begins to merge seamlessly with the rocky landscape and harsh coastal context." adds Omar Gandhi, Founder & Partner.

The home's connection to the outdoors is emphasized by the landscaping, which features thoughtfully sculpted terraces and patios along the façade. The site continues to guide the experience outward, leading residents along an extended pathway and timber dock that projects over the water, engaging directly with the tidal rhythms of the Atlantic.

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