- Project: Rockbound House
- Architect: Omar Gandhi Architect
- Location: Canada, Hubbards, Nova Scotia
- Year: 2023
- Area: 380 m2
- Photography: Ema Peter Photography
Perched on the rugged shores of Hubbards, Nova Scotia, Rockbound House by Omar Gandhi Architect is a striking example of how modern architecture can harmonize with an unforgiving coastal landscape. Designed as a private retreat overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, the residence balances resilience and elegance, with engineering solutions that respond to changing weather patterns and architectural gestures that frame sweeping ocean views.
This project is not only a refuge for its clients but also a testament to collaboration, craftsmanship, and contextual sensitivity, blending robust materials with refined detailing to create a home that belongs to the coastline itself.
Site & Design Concept – A Home Shaped by the Atlantic
The site’s rocky shoreline provided both inspiration and challenge. Rather than imposing on the landscape, the architects allowed the structure to emerge organically from the terrain, mirroring the contours of the coast. Its volumes unfold parallel to the shoreline, positioning living areas to capture panoramic views of the bay and Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse.
The design responds directly to the client’s vision of a retreat that is both sheltered from the harsh maritime climate and intimately connected to the natural rhythms of the ocean.
Resilient Architecture – Adapting to Harsh Weather
In Nova Scotia’s coastal environment, durability is essential. Omar Gandhi Architect employed materials that weather naturally over time, allowing the house to age gracefully while telling the story of its place.
Key strategies include:
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Micro-pile engineering solutions, introduced when a bedrock seam was discovered during construction, ensuring stability despite geotechnical challenges.
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Steel and timber framing, meticulously designed to withstand hurricane-force winds.
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Covered decks and deep overhangs that provide shade and shelter, extending the living experience outdoors regardless of weather conditions.
This resilience-first approach elevates Rockbound from a home to a model of coastal adaptation.
Interior Experience – Warmth Against the Atlantic Blues
While the exterior engages with rugged resilience, the interiors evoke warmth and intimacy. Visitors enter through a modest foyer that gradually unfolds into expansive ocean views, heightening the drama of arrival.
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Warm millwork and natural tile tones soften the interiors and counterbalance the cool greys and blues of the sea.
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Covered decks and floor-to-ceiling glazing dissolve the threshold between interior and exterior.
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Private bedroom suites are elevated above the main living space, offering secluded sanctuaries immersed in the landscape.
The house is designed as a sequence of experiences, from introverted spaces of reflection to extroverted, panoramic moments that celebrate the horizon.
Engineering Ingenuity – Hidden Complexity, Visible Simplicity
Rockbound’s elegance belies its complex structural solutions. During construction, the discovery of a bedrock seam posed significant risks. Instead of abandoning the site or over-engineering the solution, the team developed a strategic micro-pile system that redistributed loads effectively while preserving the architectural intent.
Other details reflect this marriage of technical precision and design refinement:
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Steel hoops around windows serve both climatic and visual purposes, framing views while controlling exposure.
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Hidden garage doors and seamless cladding alignments maintain a visually pure aesthetic.
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Coordinated coursing lines trace across the façade, accentuating the building’s volumes with subtle elegance.
A Collaborative Process – Architects, Engineers & Clients
The success of Rockbound House lies in collaboration at every stage. Builders, engineers, consultants, and clients all contributed to shaping the project. The clients’ vision — for a retreat that was at once resilient, private, and immersed in nature — guided every decision.
Omar Gandhi Architect’s team went beyond the original brief, introducing spatial innovations that unlocked unexpected perspectives and experiential richness. The result is a home that embodies both protection and openness, reflecting the duality of coastal life.
Rockbound House by Omar Gandhi Architect is more than a modern residence — it is a coastal landmark, an architectural response to the raw beauty and power of the Atlantic. It embraces climatic resilience, structural ingenuity, and emotional connection to place, resulting in a dwelling that feels as timeless as the rocky shoreline it inhabits.
With Rockbound, Omar Gandhi Architect demonstrates how design can balance protection and exposure, intimacy and vastness, resilience and grace — a true model of contemporary coastal architecture.
