Nothing catches the eye quite like modern architecture in the midst of Canadian winter wonderland. The Edge at Big White has been attracting the notice of skiers and visitors to Big White for two years now. The development of single family homes and semi-detached homes has drawn international buyers looking for a vacation home in a world class British Columbia resort that visually reflects an urban sensibility.
The Edge has been developed by The Solido Group, a company with long time experience building resort and vacation properties at Big White. Christopher Sherriff, president of the company is concentrating marketing on international buyers for The Edge, who see Canada as a long term value in the global marketplace. The value is driven both by the Canadian economy and the distinct advantage of having champagne powder at the doorstep of the development season after season.
“Unlike some of the resorts in Europe, Big White never misses a snow season. For international buyers this is a good long term investment in a unique product, there is nothing else like this on a global scale. Luxury products tend to retain value.”
Most of the homes at The Edge are semi-detached, three storey units at about 2200 square feet. There are two defining architectural features; the first is the instantly recognizable inverted sloped roof lines. The second are the massive banks of windows – up to 1000 square feet of glass sheathes the exterior of each home, with single panes up to 80 square feet each.
“We don’t have blinds in the living, dining and kitchen areas, we have reflective glass. It is a great feeling to be inside the home,” says Sherriff. Energy efficiency is one of the first questions that come to mind when considering the vast amounts of glass. Individual geo-thermal fields for heating and cooling were the solution to balance the needs of the home.
The Edge is a vacation home and the floor plans are designed for owners who want to spend week long stretches on the mountain. The master bedroom is upstairs with a wall of glass overlooking the dining and kitchen areas. The larger floor plans include a private elevator, theatre room and 2 master bedrooms – the second with a Japanese plunge tub.
Visitors to Big White who take the gondola up to the main part of the village can easily recognize The Edge, about half way through their ride. It is easy to see why Sherriff can confidently assert, “The Edge is incredibly different.”
