With our city now so laughably unaffordable, thousands of Vancouverites are stuck imagining wonderful homes instead of living in them. “Spaced” is a record of our minds wandering the world of architecture and design, up and away from the unrewarding realities of shoebox condos, dark basement suites, and sweet fuck all on Craigslist.

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(via) This completely renovated 1895 coach house in The Netherlands has got it figured out in a way that might be inspiring to anyone thinking about laneway living. The shell of the structure – built in the backyard of a wealthy aristocrat (that should sound familiar to Vancouverites) – is still there in parts (ie. the brick frontage and one side), but the modern reimagining includes lots of glass, a skylight or two and what appears to be an acid-treated, polished concrete floor. The interior’s central ‘island’ structure is dominated by an enclosed kitchen surrounded by shelving and flanked by a pair of staircases. These lead to a more private mezzanine level fitted out with a bedroom, walk-in closet and combo-cantilevered office and tub. We’d take our version out of Utrecht and insert it close to home in our own neighbourhood of Strathcona.

Photography by Christel Derksen & Rolf Bruggink