A castle is often the icon for the mountain atop which it sits. In other cases, the mountain is the iconic setting for the castle. In the case of the White Spirit Lodge and British Columbia’s mountaintop Big White Ski Resort, there is a clear symbiosis between the imposing but cozy log post-and-beam alpine palace and the setting of the family-oriented yet discerning ski resort in which it is situated.

British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley is attracting international attention as a New World wine region poised to become one of the best. Those savvy in the international wine business understand that the Okanagan wine-country offers exceptional value compared to other global wine producing regions, many of which are older and much more established.

FROM THE ARCHIVE: In fine arts, the term abstract refers to the formal aspect of art that emphasizes basic elements such as lines, colours, and geometrical forms, and the relationship of these to one another to achieve a distinctive style.

When does good design become a distinctive style? According to Fred Thornton Hollingsworth, good design never becomes a style because good design is all about planning a solution to an individual problem. Fred Hollingsworth practiced architecture for more than 60 years, designing solutions for the way people live in homes and occupy public buildings.