In our last issue, we featured one of your homes in West Vancouver on the waterfront. In that article, we identified you as an architect. Today, we are here to set the record straight so you can explain to our readers exactly what it is that you do.
I will begin with what we first see on your website: “We are designers, not architects”. What does this mean?
Well, to be clear, nobody in our firm has ever been a registered architect. When I started the company in 1992, I set out to design great homes with a comprehensive service where we design all aspects of a house, from its interior and exterior all the way to the landscape design. I can’t express enough that design covers all aspects of a great building, not just the exterior.
You make it very clear that you are not an architect. Why is this so important to you?
I don’t have an official, specific title but it has always been important for me to distinguish what I do. Design brings with it a sense of limitlessness, and additionally, we fit into a very unique niche of residential development strategists.
How did you begin?
It’s a funny story actually. I knew from the age of six that I would design great houses. At the age of nine, I started following the West Vancouver real estate market. In my final year of high school, I graduated with honors in drafting and ceramics, which led me to design school thereafter.
Design school graduation landed me a huge opportunity with a Richmond design and development firm. My first project with them was to design a 5,000 square foot house at Panorama Ridge in 1989! On this project, I spent most of my time on the job site learning. As a dedicated young man, I asked all of the different trades questions and they were all happy to explain and teach. I spent two years with that company learning not just design, but also construction and development. This practical knowledge and experience became irreplaceable education.
Can you please explain what makes your service so unique in our city?
I would say there are very few firms that design all aspects of significant homes. I personally commit to designing each of our homes from a blank sheet of paper – our greatest differentiator in the marketplace. Each home is unique and specifically designed and crafted for its location in order to fully maximize the potential of each individual property.
With this custom home concept, how do you manage all of this information and creativity?
I don’t have a simple answer for this. After thirty years, it’s just like breathing. I think it’s easy to do things that are perceived to be difficult if they truly drive you.
We know you have been the “darling” of the exclusive West Vancouver high-end speculative market with realtors vying to get one of your listings. Tell us, what makes your homes so successful?
The houses I design are created like any high-end product. They are a fully three-dimensional experience targeted to a specific buyer – a buyer I’ve never met. Each project is an adventure of design, style and passion all created to touch the heart of the future owner.
Tell us a misconception about David Christopher.
That creating and designing is the majority of what I do. It’s actually a small component of my business day as a tremendous amount of time is spent on the job site. Generally, I am at our sites three times a week, often once a day. Once a client engages us, our service is unlimited as we don’t track or charge by the hour. In addition, our homes are crafted. There is no “recipe” and going over details on site is how we achieve the end results.
What are some exciting projects that you’re currently working on?
All of the projects that we are working on are exciting. We have homes all across West Vancouver, from Caulfeild to Waterfront, Westmount and Dundarave all the way to the British Pacific Properties; as well as one in Edgemont Village. We have several very large homes underway and one that we call the Crown Jewel, which may be the most expensive speculative build in West Vancouver’s history. Stay tuned on that one. We also launched The Searenity Collection in New York City in November of 2019 with the world’s first Hyper Cabana, which is now under production.
What are your plans for the future and where do you see yourself 10 years from now?
Here! This is my city and I have no intention of leaving it. A decade from now I can see expansion into international markets and certainly more design products.
IG: @davidchristopheryvr | info@fx40.com