RSAAW is honoured to have the Berkley Residence project selected among such powerhouses of design. We would like to thank Clinton Cuddington for thinking of us as worthy of inclusion in this book, written by Dr. Michael Prokopow and curated by Clinton. The book features 34 beautifully designed houses exploring the ways West Coast modern […]

Spanning the banks of the Mamquam River in Squamish, BC, the Squamish Pedestrian Bridge connects the edge of downtown with a developing residential community at the base of the legendary Stawamus Chief, a massive granite monolith iconic to the region. The bridge provides a new circulation dynamic within the community to unite both sides of […]

Vancouver, Canada A thorough mid-century renovation featuring a stunning stair-side, double-height bookshelf and a secret attic playroom, this project sees the transformation of a tired, inefficient house with good bones into a chic, contemporary, and spatially eloquent family home. Eschewing market trends toward disposable fixtures and finishes, RSAAW’s renovation respects the origins and West Coast […]

In a temperate rainforest such as British Columbia’s, the search for light is constant and inevitable. Most residential projects unequally favour certain units over others, unfairly distributing space, views, and light. Such a sacrifice is unnecessary. This Passive House mixed-use residential project provides all its residents with natural light through a labyrinth design evocative of […]

“RSAAW thoroughly renovated the interior of a tired, inefficient house with good bones to a contemporary home in Vancouver, Canada that adapts to perform to superior efficiency levels and to accommodate future generations of family life. in a market trending towards disposable fixtures and finishes, where demolishing to make way for the latest trends has become common, the designers’ renovation ensured the […]

“The client’s holistic approach to the alchemy of boutique distilling remained a constant guide during the logistical challenge of constructing such a mixed-use facility on a small island.”

“Major renovation of interior spaces within the headquarters of the Architectural Institute of British Columbia in downtown Vancouver, BC.” When confronted with a heritage renovation, the first instinct can be to preserve or return to the building’s original state at all costs, but in some cases subsequent interventions should be respected and celebrated and a […]

“A thorough mid-century interior renovation, taking a tired inefficient house with good bones to a contemporary home on another level. In a market trending towards disposable fixtures and finishes, where it has become commonplace to demolish to make way for the latest trend, RSAAW’s renovation ensured the home stayed rooted to its origin, simply adapting […]

“When Rafael Santa Ana Architecture Workshop (RSAAW) began the project of restoring the interior of the headquarters of the Architecture Institute of British Columbia (AIBC)  in Vancouver, Canada, they knew it would be a complicated process. Renovations, particularly in designated heritage buildings such as the AIBC, are daunting, typically involving a diverse group of stakeholders, significant red […]

“Vancouver-based architecture workshop RSAAW recently completed Copper Spirit Distillery, a purpose-built mixed-use sustainable building. Copper Spirit Distillery integrates an artisanal gin, vodka, and rye distillery with a tasting room and much needed residential rental units for islanders. This groundbreaking project is the first of its kind to combine industrial and residential use of this nature […]

“A mid-century interior renovation, taking a tired inefficient house with good bones to a contemporary home on another level. In a market trending towards disposable fixtures and finishes, where it has become commonplace to demolish to make way for the latest trend, RSAAW’s renovation ensured the home stayed rooted to its origin, simply adapting to […]

“After numerous design iterations and a less traditional approach to programmatic layout, the building’s mass has successfully evolved into two independent volumes, connected by mechanical systems in the basement and by an illuminated atrium that connects the public spaces of the building in the basement. Ground level. Visitors to the distillery are greeted in a […]

“Located on Bowen Island, a municipality that is part of Metro Vancouver, the 8,815 square foot building integrates residential and industrial programs challenging both provincial code and local urban plan concepts. After numerous design iterations and a less traditional approach to the programmatic distribution, the building’s mass successfully evolved into two separate volumes connected by […]

“Located in the heart of Snug Cove on Bowen Island, a small municipality within Metro Vancouver, the Copper Spirit Distillery integrates an artisanal gin, vodka, and rye distillery with a tasting room and much needed residential rental units for islanders.”

“Canadian studio RSAAW has renovated a mid-century house in Vancouver to include a double-height library, all-white interiors and a treehouse in the garden. The project, called Berkley House, is a two-storey house with a dark facade surrounded by trees in North Vancouver. Local firm RSAAW transformed the family home into a bright and airy space by connecting its previously separated two levels and […]

“Despite the structure having a typical partially below grade lower level, the family was first attracted to the home’s quasi post-and-beam style and its Californian-style atmosphere, unusual in a typically conformist suburban North Vancouver neighbourhood. The challenge was to celebrate this character while adapting to the reality of the Canadian climate and minimizing energy wastage. […]

“Rafael Santa Ana unites the disjointed floors of his Vancouver residence, adding vaulted ceilings and a commanding, double-height bookshelf. Architect Rafael Santa Ana’s home may be situated in North Vancouver, but it has a bit of a California vibe—something he noticed as soon as he stepped through the front door a decade ago. ‘It had […]

“Based in Vancouver BC, Canada, RSAAW embodies the multi-dimensional spirit of our beautiful province and cultivates the creation of open, welcome, and safe soaces for all. We are proud of our team’s ability to reach a multitude of cultures and are honoiured to provide service to a range of peoples and heritages. Each project undertaken […]

“A post-and-beam home offers an architect (and family man) a chance to make a decade-long design dream a reality. This home’s meticulous planning comes as no surprise: architect and homeowner Rafael Santa Ana had a decade to think about it. Santa Ana and his partner, Megan Paris-Griffiths, are both longtime city dwellers—they made the leap […]

A spacious double-height library was created as part of the renovation of this Vancouver home. Formed by stacked boxes of light wood, the wooden bookcase is built into the matching staircase that links the house's two levels together.

Celebrating the best of Western Canadian architecture, Book Lover’s Paradise by Vancouver firm. has won Western Living’s annual competition for Home of the Year. A thorough mid-century renovation featuring a stunning stair-side, double-height bookshelf and a secret attic playroom, the project transformed a tired, inefficient house with good bones into a chic, contemporary, and spatially eloquent family home.

RSAAW is a full-service architectural practice that targets excellence in project delivery and efficiency in production. This spirit of pragmatism allows the team to fully explore aspects of sustainability, cultural value, and cost consciousness, while still adhering to strict project timelines.

After numerous design iterations and a less traditional approach to the programmatic distribution, the building’s mass successfully evolved into two separate volumes connected by mechanical systems below grade and by a light-filled atrium above grade that link the public spaces of the building.

There is something to be said about the contents of books piling on as we had hoped to contain everything within our minds, to appreciate the scale of information we take in.

When evaluating potential projects, Rafael and his team don’t look at the sector, size or scope. Instead, they look for opportunities where design can be pushed. ‘That’s when we’ll always throw our hat in the ring and say, ‘We want to take a crack at that,’’ Rafael explains.

Architect Rafael Santa Ana, founder of the eponymous Canadian architecture office, considered his family’s affection for their Vancouver, Canada, residence—which they’d lived in for a decade—when brainstorming a new design for the home, despite the urge to demolish the structure and "start from scratch," he says.