Backlane Studio

Small, modern laneway house with gray siding and a prominent orange and black section. Large glass sliding doors lead to a visible home office interior with desks and chairs. An outdoor patio with furniture is in the foreground. A tree with orange leaves is in the background.

A home to house their business.

When spouses and landscape architects, David and Judy, decided to join forces to establish their own firm, they enlisted Smallworks to give their family enterprise roots. 

Modern laneway house entrance with orange and black paneling, a small window, a black front door, and a "Welcome" mat. A tree with orange leaves is visible at the top.
Home office in a Smallworks laneway house with white walls, two desks with computer monitors, black office chairs, and a small window. The view looks down from a loft area.
A man working on a laptop at a kitchen counter in a contemporary Smallworks laneway house, featuring minimalist design and an open-concept workspace.
A modern black and orange laneway home designed by Smallworks, situated in an urban alleyway with a pedestrian in a red jacket walking past.

This sleek and stylish structure transforms their backyard into a space for their business to thrive; welcoming staff and clients and delineating work and home life with a 30-second commute. 

A sleek black laneway house with yellow architectural accents by Smallworks, situated in a quiet Vancouver alleyway.
The back view of a Smallworks laneway house, featuring black siding, large windows, and a wooden privacy fence in an urban setting.

David and Judy have created a flexible asset that can meet their families’ needs for years to come – either as a spacious office or a comfortable one-bedroom.

A long, narrow window in a Smallworks laneway house stairwell, showing rooftops and trees outside. The stairwell has white walls and a white handrail.

Specifications

Year Built2023
Home Size640 sq ft
Floors2
Bedrooms 1.5
Bathrooms 1.5
Lot Size33 x 122 ft
Close-up detail of a modern shower in a Smallworks laneway house featuring black tiled walls, a silver rainfall showerhead, and a blue pot with a green plant on a white window sill.
Three grey plant pots bathed in a natural light in horizontal window
A matte black pendant light hanging above a minimalist kitchen in a Smallworks laneway house, with white cabinetry and a black countertop.
A modern staircase with wooden steps and a white handrail inside a Smallworks laneway house, with soft-focus plants in the foreground.
A compact yet functional laundry space in a Smallworks laneway house, featuring open shelving and a soft blue accent wall.
A close-up view of the black textured siding of a Smallworks laneway house, with soft-focus purple leaves in the foreground.
Open concept kitchen and living area in a Smallworks laneway house with white walls, a kitchen island with stools, a pendant light, a white door, and stairs leading to another level.
A man working on a laptop at a minimalist high-top desk inside a Smallworks laneway house, viewed from the modern orange front door.

See what you can build.

A modern laneway house exterior by Smallworks, featuring bold black paneling and striking mustard-yellow architectural accents.

More Projects