$3.8M home in B.C.'s Okanagan has steel shell for extra wildfire protection
![Naramata home (Sotheby’s International Realty Canada)](/content/dam/ctvnews/en/images/2024/4/22/naramata-home-1-6857740-1713834155155.jpg)
A home in B.C.'s Okanagan that features a weathering steel shell designed to provide some protection against wildfires has been listed for sale at $3.8 million.
The two-bedroom, two-bathroom property is located on a rocky mountainside in Naramata, in an area that was previously scorched by flames.
But the building, designed by acclaimed architect Omar Gandhi, has a fortress-like appearance intended to give an air of impermeability.
- Photo gallery: Armoured home in B.C.'s wildfire-prone Okanagan
Speaking to CTV News from his office in Halifax, Gandhi stressed that the home is not "fire-proof" – but does offer some degree of fire resistance that another home might not.
"It's going to buy you time," he said. "When there’s a forest fire, you know, it can come down to seconds and minutes to kind of find shelter or to actually evacuate."
Given the region's harsh summer heat – and the increasing threat of wildfires as global temperatures rise – local bylaws require the use of non-combustible materials such as cementitious boards for building exteriors.
Gandhi said he decided to lean into the requirement, going above and beyond with a quarter-inch corten steel barrier.
The architect, who is a fan of Star Wars, said the rust-coloured armour evokes the appearance of the Sandcrawler used by Jawas in the original 1977 film.
"It's kind of a menacing-looking figure in the landscape," Gandi said. "But at the same time, if you squint your eyes, it kind of becomes the landscape."
Described by Sotheby's International Realty as a "remote masterpiece," the 1,450-square-foot home features floor-to-ceiling windows, making the most of the property's elevated vantage point. The listing also promises sporadic views of roaming wildlife, from "elk and moose to the occasional mountain goat."
(Sotheby’s International Realty Canada)
Gandi said he's currently working on a number of other projects on the West Coast, including on Vancouver Island and in the Whistler area, but declined to provide details except to say his firm tends to seek out clients who are looking for a creative collaboration.
"We're just driven by fun – we love to tell these stories in the studio and imagine these kind of fantastical things," he said. "We're always looking for clients that I think are comfortable with the unknown, and seeing where it goes."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6972157.1721587842!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Joe Biden drops out of 2024 race, endorses Kamala Harris to be Democratic nominee
U.S. President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 race for the White House on Sunday, ending his bid for re-election after doubts were raised about his fitness for office. Soon after, he endorsed Vice-President Kamala Harris to take his place in the November election.
Justin Trudeau reacts to Joe Biden announcing he won't run for re-election
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded to the news that U.S. President Joe Biden won’t run for re-election Sunday, calling Biden a 'true friend.'
Joe Biden wants to pass the baton to Kamala Harris. Here's how that might work
With U.S. President Joe Biden ending his re-election bid and endorsing Vice-President Kamala Harris, Democrats now must navigate a shift that is unprecedented this late in an election year.
The pilot who died in crash after releasing skydivers near Niagara Falls has been identified
NEW YORK (AP) — Officials on Sunday released the name of a pilot who died in a skydiving flight after her passengers jumped from the aircraft near the Niagara Falls.
Woman found dead in the water near Sunset Beach: Vancouver police
Investigators were at Vancouver’s Sunset Beach after a woman’s body was found in the water Sunday morning, according to authorities.
Ottawa man waiting nearly a year for car to be fixed at Acura dealership
An Ottawa man says he’s been waiting nearly a year for his car to be repaired after it was damaged during a storm in August.
Canadian musicians struggle to get visas to perform in the U.S., some cancel shows
Backlogs and processing delays of temporary U.S. visas required by entertainers, athletes and artists has forced some Canadian bands to cancel U.S. tour dates because paperwork wasn't processed in time.
Joy in Newfoundland after 'Lucky 7' fishers survive harrowing days lost at sea
There was a powerful word being repeated in the joyful Newfoundland community of New-Wes-Valley on Sunday: 'Miracle.'
A Florida woman was killed 24 years ago. DNA evidence just helped police make an arrest in the cold case
A Florida woman’s brutal killing nearly 25 years ago may finally be solved after authorities arrested the suspect this week, according to the Sanford Police Department.