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The owners of a home aptly named Project Hilltop had a clear message early in the planning process for their builder.

They said, “Build me ‘wow,’ ” recalls Christopher York, president of Riverview Custom Homes, a multiple winner of the Small Volume Builder of the Year title at the BILD (Building Industry and Land Development) Calgary Region Awards. “They were looking for a home that was amazing in every way, just like the incredible piece of land on which it would sit.”

The home, featuring 18,000 square feet of developed living space, is constructed on a prized perch in one of Calgary’s oldest neighbourhoods. Riverview’s client secured two pieces of property side by side on Crescent Road N.W.

“The city views are incredible, but so are the valley and mountain views,” York says. “We designed the home, respecting all angles of visual impact. With the south-facing exposure, we were sure to incorporate a large amount of glazing on the front of the home.”

Project Hilltop’s unique sightlines, capturing both the Rockies and Calgary cityscape, influenced the architect, as well.

“It is a spectacular lot,” says Sean McCormick, principal design architect at Jackson McCormick Design Group. “There was an embarrassment of riches in terms of the views.

“The curving nature of the building is really meant to take in all of these views, and from different angles,” he adds. “As you are moving along that curve, your view line is changing all the time. The design, the big shallow, sweeping curve, was really a byproduct of trying to manage these spectacular views and maximize them.”

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Paul Lavoie, principal at Paul Lavoie Interior Design, leveraged the same in several components of the home, including areas in which to host get-togethers with loved ones.

“The view is something that is paramount in every corner of that house and every angle of the house has been designed around maximizing the amazing view that is presented from that lot,” says Lavoie.

“The client has a penchant for entertaining,” he adds. “They want to host a lot of people — family celebrations and friend celebrations. It’s about presenting the city of Calgary, almost on a plate, and having a lounge, dining space, connected to it from the windows.”

Unlike most homes, there is no structural wood in this build. Instead, its main structure is forged from steel and suspended steel/concrete floor and roof systems.

“Being a builder of luxury residential homes, we have been fortunate to get the opportunity to build some amazing things, but we have never built a home out of all steel and concrete,” says York.

“The large overhangs, spans required for open spaces, and weight of the building itself could not have been constructed majorly out of wood,” he says. “We made the decision early in the process to commit to a commercial methodology of building.”

The perimeter of the home is lined with a stone ribbon and columns capped with a welded steel fence. On the exterior, there is elegant Turkish limestone, a stone entry feature, ACM panel soffit and fascias, along with a Cortizo window and door package.

“From the hidden, in-wall downspouts to the heated concrete around the property, every detail was carefully contemplated and executed,” York says.

It’s a star-studded interior, as well. There’s a spiral staircase with circular elevator in the middle, round swimming pool with round infinity hot tub flowing into it, a glass bridge, Cortizo automated telescoping patio doors, and soaring 16-foot round skylight.

Furthermore, the homeowners can host memorable movie nights in the home’s state-of-the-art home theatre room.

“Every room in this home is truly ‘wow,’ ” says York.

“While my list of favourite rooms is 10 or more, I am especially thrilled with the gym, state-of-the-art simulation room, and the boiler room.”

This isn’t any ordinary boiler room. There are 11 boilers lined with checker-plate wall finish, LED lighting, and every copper pipe was “polished to perfection before turnover,” says York.

“The pride that our craftsmen took in the construction of this home was evident in the finishes you can see, but what is in behind the drywall was equally as impressive.”

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