His residence at 8132 Muirfield Lane in Whistler was a finalist in the Urban Development Institute's single Family Home category, a winner of a Gold Georgie Award for Best Single Family Detached Home 3,000 - 4,199 sq. ft as well as a Canadian Home Builders' national SAM award for Best Single Family Home over 2,200 sq. ft. Exemplary of his work is the double high vaulted ceiling space in the living room that echoes that of the entry, with the added reward of a view embracing the slopes of Whistler Mountain.
"the home becomes almost a living part of the environment"
Another Gottschalk home in Whistler, the Talisman, in 1999 was the Canadian Homebuilders' Association's National SAM Award Winner for Best Home over 2,200 sq. ft. The first class getaway is an adaptation of the surrounding landscape and offers spectacular views of Alta Lake and a panorama of wilderness.
Custom-cut rafters, vaulted ceilings and natural stone accents are integrated to create a relaxed and casual sanctuary. The palette is emblematic of Gottschalk. "The juxtaposition between the rugged natural environment and the clean aesthetics of the interior is very dynamic," he explains.
His esthetic was forged during studies of architecture, landscape architecture and practical experience in design and development of projects around the world.
Gottschalk then launched his international career with a firm designing ski resorts in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain and France, then in Argentina and Chile. It was an experience that taught him to orchestrate a disparate international team of architects into one cohesive project.
Today in his own practice, GDI, he continues to travel extensively throughout Europe and Asia, which he appreciates because "it expands my principles and aesthetics." One of his favorite recent projects is the boutique resort Abacá on Mactan Island in the Philippines. "A wonderful mix of modern and traditional; a small quaint all-modern hotel with touches of the old Philippine Asian aesthetic," he says.
As his international residential and resort practice grew, one frustration Gottschalk faced was
specifying contemporary bathware only to have clients veto his selections due to "stratospheric"
prices. Hating to see them compromise their taste, he founded Blu Bathworks, where he now
designs and fabricates attractively priced architectural-caliber bathware.
Blu Bathworks' modern tubs, sinks, toilets, faucets, showers and accessories have been specified by architects and designers throughout the world, from Hong Kong to New York. Go to www.blubathworks.com to see his entire collection, which is available to the trade and to consumers worldwide.
Whether creating a sculptural tub, a contemporary residence, or an exotic resort,
Gottschalk's mantra remains the same: focus on the clean, simple, unfettered clarity of
line that is the enduring hallmark of modern design. "To me, that equates to
serenity," he says. "Something we all need in our hectic world today."