Mid-century rural property offers breathtaking views, rich history
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West Coast modern homes are more common in urban and coastal areas, but this Fort Langley gem presents a distinctive pairing of architectural sophistication and natural beauty.
Lael O’Brien Anderson, whose family has owned the property since 1976, shares its rich history and design significance.
A deep connection with nature
West Coast modern architecture is celebrated for blending homes with their natural surroundings. These designs often embrace outdoor living, maximize views and match the unique landscapes. Anderson highlights how this home exemplifies these principles.
“The views are breathtaking yet intimate, as they are not obvious from the street or even as you drive up to the house — it’s very unexpected. The home feels deeply connected to its environment, creating an experience, whether you’re walking the property or stepping inside,” she says.
Situated on a knoll in the middle of what was once a sheep farm, the property offers panoramic vistas of Golden Ears, Mount Baker and the hills of Maple Ridge. Wildlife — including eagles, coyotes and Canada geese — further enhances the connection to nature, she says.
Anderson adds that the sense of space and privacy on the property amplifies its relationship with the landscape.
The home’s fluid, open layout further reflects West Coast modern design principles, featuring grand foyers and great rooms that welcome visitors with an immediate sense of place.
Preserving original design elements
The family has worked diligently to maintain the home’s original features. Yellow cedar plank walls, cork and aggregate flooring, mahogany slatted doors and floor-to-ceiling windows remain intact. The house retains most of its original windows, doors, and layout, including the pool, says Anderson.
“We’ve done our utmost to retain as many original features as possible,” she says.
One standout feature is the massive black iron fireplace anchoring the living room. It is three-sided and sits several feet back from the wall, so there is accessible storage and space around it.
“It has a cantilevered floating bench around the three sides (seeded concrete to match the flooring in the entryway), which provides extra seating and a design element,” she says.
A connection to the Trend House Program
This Fort Langley home has ties to the influential Trend House Program of the 1950s. This initiative, launched by British Columbia’s wood industry, promoted architect-designed homes using B.C. woods and modern materials like plywood and plastics. The program sought to demonstrate how good modern design could improve daily living.
Thompson, Berwick and Pratt held a design competition for the program, and Brodie’s winning design was constructed for an international trade fair in Toronto in the early 1950s. Variations of the design were built across Canada, each adapted to local climates and materials.
Trend Houses typically featured red and yellow cedar siding, clerestory windows, open floor plans and terraces with abundant glass. They emphasized natural light, airflow and seamless transitions between indoor and outdoor spaces. Western Homes and Living magazine recognized the Victoria Trend House as one of the 10 most influential designs of the 1950s.
Anderson says this Fort Langley home is an offspring of the Trend House concept.
Generations of history
Anderson’s father, Michael O’Brien, grew up on a Hazelnut Farm on Glover Road in Fort Langley, where he hunted ducks and birds on this property in the 1940s and ’50s. Her uncle David still lives on and runs the farm.
Their Fort Langley home represents a connection across four generations, linking design, architecture and a deep appreciation for the land, she says.
Anderson says the home holds countless memories and stories.
“These West Coast modern homes have such history and stories to tell — if walls could talk!”