St. Francis Wood

STA Office Architecture - John Di Castri Architect - Victoria - Mid-century Modern - West Coast Modernism - Residential Architect

STA Office is an architectural practice based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, established in 2016. The Office applies its knowledge, work, and sensibilities to design projects across a range of scales and building typologies, seeking clear and transformative outcomes. The practice was founded by Architect, Seng Tsoi. Our built projects include custom homes, multi-family housing, public buildings, commercial buildings, major renovations, and residential and commercial interiors.

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Private commission; completed 2019

Preservation, restoration, and major renovation

Original Architect: John Di Castri

Built 1957 + heritage designated 2002

Victoria, BC

2,759 SF [256 SM]

Victoria Heritage Foundation House Grant Program Recipient 2018

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Publication:

[Reside: Contemporary West Coast Houses]
By Michael Prokopow
Figure 1 Publishing, September 2024

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[St.Francis Wood Renovation]

Modern Home Magazine, June 2025

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Reference:

[Thompson House, Victoria Heritage Foundation]

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The home, listed on the Heritage Register as the Thomson House, is located in the Rocklands neighbourhood of Victoria, British Columbia. The house was built in 1957 and designated a heritage property in 2002 by the City of Victoria, making it the first post-war building to receive a heritage designation. Architect John Di Castri, a distinguished local architect, designed the original house.

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This renovation project offered the opportunity to transform, adapt to new desires, and further explore its potential—a chance to remove, rework, add, overlay, and refine. The original structural system, comprising glulam beams and steel pipe columns supporting the floor, roof, and decks, allowed all interior walls to be removed and the spaces reconfigured with a high degree of flexibility.

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The finishing is minimal, featuring white-washed white oak hardwood flooring throughout, balanced by a curated palette of whites for walls, millwork, counters, hardware, and fixtures. This reduced palette complements the preservation of the home’s original and valued features, including its tongue-and-groove cedar ceiling and unique structural system, all of which were maintained, restored, and refinished. In the main living space, a large expanse of glazing (the largest pane measures 1.90m x 5.95m) replaces a series of non-original windows to capture the expansive views beyond.