09/26/2026
In their backyard, a family squeezes a serene studio between a rock and a hard place. “I know it’s cliché to say that everything happens for a reason,” says family physician Milvi Tiislar, “but when it came to finding the architect for our renovation, it really rings true.” Milvi and her husband, Peter, have been raising their two children in a 1947 home that had undergone several renovations before the couple moved in. And while they loved its location, materials, and backyard, they wanted more space as the children grew up—specifically, an area where their son and daughter would be more comfortable having friends over. “When I was growing up, if you didn’t have a basement, your parents would never meet your friends because no one ever came over,” Peter says. “We wanted a space that our kids would feel was theirs.” Milvi also planned to use the space as a home office during the day, so the design would need to serve double duty. Milvi turned to a Facebook group for local doctors who were also moms and put out the call for architect recommendations. Soon, another physician wrote back that her husband, Bruce Greenway, had a portfolio of residential remodels. For Bruce, the challenging terrain—see the large bedrock outcrop that dominates most of the backyard—was a welcome challenge. See more: https://www.dwell.com/article/grotto-house-extension-greenway-studio-architecture-victoria-british-columbia-898abb3c
