The Nest
Press pause and reset your rhythm of life. Leave behind the restless city, board the ferry from Vancouver’s Horseshoe Bay to Langdale, and let daily riddles slip away as you sail toward Keats Island—known in the language of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh people as Lheḵ’tínes. Floating quietly on Howe Sound, the island appears like a brushstroke of green, gently set into the evening light, a secluded sanctuary embraced by trees.
Discreetly situated at the island’s highest point, The Nest by Daria Sheina Studio is designed in response to Keats Island’s enduring character of solitude and belonging. With access limited and a sparse permanent population that has preserved its quiet and natural setting for generations, the retreat was conceived as a nest-like shelter—an architectural refuge that mirrors the island’s stillness. On a site spanning ten acres (approximately 40,468 m²), the house occupies less than 100 m², underscoring its minimal footprint and respectful approach to the land.
Two geometric volumes are rotated and interlocked to create a three-level vertical home, where fluid interior–exterior connections amplify the perception of space. The form itself becomes a defining symbol. The exterior is clad in Western Red Cedar, which will weather gracefully to a silvery gray over time. A cross-laminated timber (CLT) structure eliminates the need for structural steel, while reducing the size of concrete footings and the extent of excavation to minimize environmental impact. Restricted access to the island made construction a formidable challenge. The team worked with BC Passive House to prefabricate components, which were transported by barge and airlifted by helicopter into place. Remarkably, the primary structure was assembled in just two days. The off-grid dwelling is equipped with solar panels, a rainwater collection and filtration system, and an incinerating toilet, enabling a fully self-sufficient lifestyle in the forest.
Inside, large lift-and-slide doors dissolve the threshold to the outdoors, while green Marmoleum flooring reflects the moss carpet outside. Exposed timber walls and beams convey a natural honesty, with each floor defined by its own rhythm: the ground level combines entry, kitchen, dining, living, and bathroom into an open social core; the second level serves as a semi-private lounge for reading or quiet observation; the third level, set among the treetops, provides a bedroom that protects privacy like a true nest.
Furnishings add a playful counterpoint: Philippe Starck’s Attila stools for Kartell, an Eames rocking chair, and Percival Lafer’s MP-41 sofa bring humor and a childlike spirit, softening the rigor of the architecture with personal warmth. Ultimately, The Nest is a synthesis of design, engineering, and environmental awareness. More than a house, it becomes a point of pause in life’s search for answers, a fragment of the natural landscape, and an extension of the human relationship with nature.
Principal Designer | Daria Sheina
Character of Space | Off-grid residence / self-sufficient retreat
Site Area | 40,468㎡
Gross Floor Area | 98.7 m² / 1,063 sq.ft.
Materials | Western Red Cedar cladding / Mass Timber (CLT) / Green Marmoleum flooring / Large lift-and-slide door systems
Structural Consultant | Equilibrium Consulting
Prefabrication | BC Passive House
General Contractor | Lincoln Construction
Energy Advisor | Shape Energy
Windows & Doors | Innotech Windows + Doors
Siding | Westcoast Wood Distribution
CLT Supplier | Mercer
Location | Keats Island (Lheḵ’tínes), BC, Canada
