an eccentric home for a shoe designer
The Fluevog House by MA+HG Architects is located in East Vancouver and serves as a primary home for a local shoe designer known for his eccentric design sensibilities. Distinctive in appearance yet informed by its residential context, the house introduces a vivid palette and expressive forms into a residential neighborhood defined by pitched roofs and quiet repetition.
A sea green gable anchors the street-facing elevation, punctuated by triangular and circular windows that lend rhythm and clarity to the facade. The geometry feels deliberate, the result of controlled subtraction — such as the circular opening cut from the yellow roof deck overhead. This approach, which MA+HG describes as carving from pure form, extends to the use of stucco control joints, which trace lines across the exterior like the stitchwork of a handcrafted shoe.
images © Janis Nicolay
vibrant interiors by MA+HG architects
Inside the Fluevog House, the team at MA+HG Architecture continues its dialogue between convention and creative expression. The entry is marked by a blue foyer leading to a vividly patterned powder room, wrapped in custom wallpaper that nods to the client’s footwear brand. The kitchen is rendered in fluted millwork and anchored by a continuous window backsplash, which introduces daylight while maintaining privacy from the street.
The main living area opens to the backyard through large doors as a central hub for family life. Upstairs, a bright yellow stair leads to a flexible second-floor space that accommodates a library, family room, and concealed guest quarters. Materials are chosen for their expressive quality — tile patterns shift playfully across walls and floors, and cabinetry remains vibrant.
the Fluevog House is designed by MA+HG Architects as a home for a local shoe designer
inside east vancouver’s ‘fluevog house’
On the top floor, the principal suite is shaped by views and geometry. Triangular and circular apertures frame both interior moments and distant landscapes, while clerestory glazing brings natural light into circulation spaces. The bathroom is organized around a skylit bathing zone with a walk-through shower, and the adjacent study connects directly to the yellow roof deck.
At the edge of the deck, a blue clawfoot tub faces outward through the circular roof cutout, offering a framed view over gabled rooftops, tree canopies, and the suggestion of mountain peaks beyond. This elevation becomes a point of quiet drama in the project, open to sky and softened by the curved roofline.
Fluevog House is a Net Zero building, with performance criteria embedded from the outset of the design process. MA+HG shaped the home’s volume to meet the technical demands of its solar array, with an offset gable form that supports optimal photovoltaic performance. The compact massing supports energy efficiency by maintaining a clean air barrier and consistent insulation strategy throughout.
stucco control joints on the facade echo the craftsmanship of shoemaking
interiors unfolds through boldly colored rooms and custom patterned wallpaper
fluted cabinetry and a long window backsplash define the kitchen and living space
a bright yellow stair connects to the second floor
a yellow roof deck with a circular cutout offers views across rooftops and treetops
the Net Zero design uses compact massing and solar-informed geometry to meet energy goals
project info:
name: Fluevog House
architect: MA+HG Architects | @mahgarchitects
location: Vancouver, Canada
contractor: Rain City Homes
photography: © Janis Nicolay | @pineconecamp
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