Custom Cabins & Guest Houses Designed in Vancouver

Treehouse studios, micro-homes, and coach houses that turn under-used yards into living space.

Permits Simplified
Rental or WFH Income
Low‑Impact Builds
The treehouse: afunctional outdoor space with a three-tiered deck and a sustainable treehouse that doubles as a home office, artist studio, and yoga space for a young family.

The Arboreal Cube

Custom Backyard Treehouse

Perched among North Vancouver firs, this 250  ft² cedar‑clad tree‑house was designed with simplicity and sustainability in mind. It incorporates natural materials like cork, birch plywood, and thermally treated timber.

The treehouse serves multiple purposes: a home office, artist studio, and yoga space. Notably, the "solar room" within the treehouse is painted a vibrant yellow to combat seasonal mood disorders by reflecting light on cloudy days, enhancing both mood and energy.

Fixed‑fee concept package

Know your design cost upfront.

Passive‑house & prefab options

Cut energy use and build faster.

Efficient city‑permit roadmap

We navigate zoning so you don’t have to.

End-to-End Integrative Design Process

Stay creative; we handle construction and project coordination.

1 Discover

Site visit & feasibility sketch.

2 Concept

3D massing & palette

3 Permit

Drawings, energy report, city submission

4 Build Support

Site checks & finish reviews

What Homeowners Say

“We were ready to rework the inside of our house, but Shui shifted our thinking entirely — they saw the untapped potential in our overgrown, sloped backyard. What followed was a process we assumed would be difficult: variances, permits, design complexities — but it all felt remarkably smooth. Working with Shui was genuinely a joy. They made the hard parts feel light, and what we ended up with has completely changed how we live.”

- Vitaliy, Treehouse Studio, North Vancouver

“The design Shui developed for our loft was beyond what we imagined — a serene, minimal space rooted in Japanese principles that would have completely reshaped how we lived. Working with Shui was collaborative, creative, and full of care. They listened closely and brought thoughtful ideas forward at every turn.”

- René & Alan, Loft Redesign, South Granville, Vancouver

“We had an ambitious idea: to split our house into two fully separate homes. It proved far more complex than expected, but Shui didn’t flinch. They helped us move through the bureaucracy and shifting rules with calm and clarity. Even when the direction changed, we never felt lost.”

- Sally, Second Suite Exploration, North Vancouver

Ready to explore your idea?

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