Lookout House by Measured Architecture | Discover Coastal Living Today

mayne island waterfront retreat

Aerial view of a coastal property on a rocky shoreline, surrounded by dense forest, with a house and nearby structures, outlined with white lines, labeled '581 BAYVIEW' and '579 BAYVIEW'.

579 Bayview SOLD

Positioned more directly toward the open waters of the Salish Sea, 579 Bayview captures expansive 270-degree views stretching from glowing western sunsets to Mount Baker rising beyond the distant Coastal Mountains. The 916 sq ft cottage is immersed in the surrounding landscape and offers 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. The secondary lower-level bedroom with its own private entry and ensuite creates flexibility for guests, extended family, or a more independent retreat experience. A separate laundry and mud room, oceanside deck, fenced gardens, and easy shoreline access further connect the home to its coastal setting. Set on a gently sloping 0.50-acre waterfront parcel with close proximity to Reef Bay, the property offers a rare opportunity to experience Mayne Island waterfront living with an immediate sense of calm, privacy, and connection to the sea.

581 Bayview

Set along the shoreline of David’s Cove, 581 Bayview occupies a uniquely protected waterfront position that looks both inward across the calm waters of the bay and outward toward the Salish Sea and distant Coastal Mountains beyond. Capturing beautiful morning light and ever-changing coastal conditions throughout the day, the 875 sq ft cottage offers 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, and a cozy wood stove within a simple and authentic waterfront retreat. The gently sloping 0.37-acre property features approximately 200 feet of low-bank frontage with direct access to swimming, kayaking, moorage, and the warmer sheltered waters that make David’s Cove one of Mayne Island’s most special waterfront settings. Rich in natural beauty and privacy, the property presents an exceptional opportunity to enjoy as-is, thoughtfully renovate over time, or envision a future architectural home immersed within the landscape.

View of a person walking along a pathway flanked by trees with clouds overhead, viewed from a low angle near some metal benches.

The Opportunity

An architectural concept developed by Measured Architecture explores the idea of arrival through layers of landscape rather than architecture imposed upon it. The proposal considers how the site might gradually reveal itself: veiled from the road through naturalistic planting and garden edges before opening outward toward the expansive ocean views beyond. A series of courtyard spaces and sheltered terraces create moments of pause and gathering while maintaining a strong relationship to the water.

At the centre of the concept is a courtyard-led approach that organizes public and private spaces through layered thresholds, allowing the property to function as both retreat and place of connection. Separate guest accommodation, quiet outdoor rooms, and framed view corridors are woven into the landscape, creating a flexible framework that could evolve thoughtfully over time.

Two architectural expressions were explored within the same spatial concept. One presents a lighter material palette clad in standing seam metal, offering a softer and more reflective coastal presence. The other adopts a darker Shou Sugi Ban exterior, grounding the architecture more deeply within the surrounding landscape. While materially distinct, both schemes share the same underlying philosophy: architecture that responds quietly to the land rather than overpowering it.

As Principal Clinton Cuddington notes, the intention was never to prescribe a singular outcome, but rather to illustrate the potential of the site itself — a considered framework for how architecture, landscape, and waterfront living might come together over time.

A digital architectural rendering of a modern building with a flat roof, solar panels, and multiple sections connected by corridors and open areas.

A detailed architectural floor plan of a residential building, including rooms such as media area, kitchen, guest rooms, bathroom, storage, garage, and outdoor spaces like a deck, courtyard, garden, and firepit.

Floor plan of a building with labeled rooms including primary bedroom, ensuite, storage, green roof, private patio, and solar panels, surrounded by trees with circular canopies.

Architectural plan with sequence of design phases, showing combining shapes to form new site, landscape apron, buildings arranged for private courtyards, and accessory buildings with landscape walls. Final plan shifted into blocks for ocean view, with interior courtyard and second level primary bed and ensuite.

Aerial view of a rocky coastal area with houses and trees along the shoreline, surrounded by water.

COASTAL CONNECTION

Expansive views stretch across the Salish Sea toward the Coastal Mountains and Mount Baker, creating a constant visual connection to the broader coastal landscape. In the foreground, the calm and protected waters of David’s Cove form an intimate edge to the property, well suited for swimming, kayaking, and quiet moorage. The low-bank shoreline allows a gentle transition from land to water, reinforcing a direct relationship with the ocean. Throughout the day, shifting light, passing boats, and the movement of tide and weather continually animate the view, grounding the site within the rhythms of the surrounding marine environment. It is also not uncommon to experience close encounters with coastal wildlife, with orcas occasionally passing offshore, seals frequenting the cove, and eagles often seen soaring above the shoreline.

PRESENT + FUTURE

While the sites together present a compelling vision for a singular, landscape led coastal estate, both properties are equally suited to immediate enjoyment in their current form, each with a modest, character-filled cottage positioned close to the water’s edge. Gently sloping terrain, direct shoreline access and generous frontage create a rare connection to the ocean and long, uninterrupted views. The properties offer flexibility for a future architectural expression or the simple, enduring appeal of a waterfront retreat as it exists today.

PROPERTY DETAILS

581 BAYVIEW

Over 200’ of low bank shoreline

0.37 acres

‍581 BAYVIEW | Offered at $929,900