Architect Helen Pang’s unique design process starts with story. She invites her clients to use their own language and voice to tell the narrative of their everyday lives, their visions, their thoughts about what their new home or space might feel like. Instead of collecting a static list of rooms and spaces, it is this element of story that she uses as the starting point for the design process. When working with more complex user groups, she collects input from all users and demographics, including children, public and staff - to inform next steps, to see how spaces might work or overlap to allow groups to thrive, and help Helen and her team get into the minds of her clients.

The land and site is equally respected, with its unique conditions and histories. Helen works with existing conditions to explore how new work might acknowledge, respect or elevate the natural environment and how a project fits within the greater surrounding context.

Whether it be a family with multiple generations who want to live together, or a community group that needs a space to share for decades to come, each project follows the the same key priorities. Everyone deserves good, clean, simple, thoughtful design to both embrace and enhance our human experiences. And the best design solutions arise through a positive collaborative atmosphere - working closely with clients and builders - to find site-specific opportunities that balance the realities of budget, timeline and jurisdiction.

Member, Architectural Institute of British Columbia
M.Arch, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia
BA, Art History, University of Victoria, Victoria

A new project under construction! The new primary residence sits on a 140 acre property that houses a historic, working farm. To contextualize the house project, the idea of “utility of building structures for specific use” drove the plan
The sun is shining but the air is cool. Autumn rolls near! In the efforts to keep cost down, many of the Forest Cabin’s furnishings were sourced second hand. The wooden chairs used at the dining table were once church chairs. The large wall ma
The long view in a newly completed home for a young family in Vancouver. The typical lot in Vancouver constraints the buildable envelope to set front and rear yards. The design of windows to capture the long views can help to extend the eye and livi
The thoughtful placement of select windows can help to inform orientation, provide wayfinding and a reference for time of day and season. This sequence of photos follows the arrival up from an internal stair to the primary bedroom in the H House ad
From the exterior, the Forest Cabin disappears within its natural setting. From the interior, the light plywood cladding frames the forest in its views. Looking forward to a summer season of slowing down, and connecting with friends and family at t
In design we start with stories, those of the users. These stories enrich, activate and give meaning to architecture. From celebration to mourning, from moments of comfort to prayer, from communion to worship, the architectural framework of the chu
The framing of nature and seasons. Through most of the year, the Forest Cabin hides within the shadows of the tall evergreens. A few times of year, the setting changes and it gets to sing in contrast.
Happy holidays! For many, we are heading home to spend time with family including myself. In 2008, we finished this house for my parents who were downsizing their home from the one my siblings and I grew up in together. There was no way of really kn
A before and after. Before this was a coast modern house with great bones for a family of five. The after was a renovation of the existing to make it shine and a contrasting addition to welcome grandparents moving in. The bar addition respectfully c
The last of the fall leaves are clinging to trees. Often the expansive, long view is the default solution in design but sometimes, the perfect view references the passage of time and change of season in its connection to nature. The light, colour a
As the fall days get darker and the rain settles in, it reminds us of this project and the day we photographed it. Like a lantern in the dark, the Bridge Church acts as a safe and warm place with an open door. It welcomes and shelters. The communi
Take a break. Look for the horizon. Daylight and the connection to a long view helps to calm the mind and ground our body to the present. As we spend more time looking at screens and meeting virtually, the connection to natural rhythms are much mor
The Forest Cabin is a tree house floating above the forest ground. The wood deck acts as a dock that allows one to step up from the ground and connect to the cabin. The building allows the forest to repair and grow under it. With every spring’
This window was placed to bring in light and highlight the connection of where new addition meets existing house. A simple design gesture appreciated by both client and builder.
The new Bridge Church in Deep Cove addresses the street and its residential neighbours with a respectful single story entry. The rear dramatically drops to a three storey volume to house the large auditorium and relate to the adjacent majestic fores

CHUM auditorium, skin study with Cannon Design Inc.