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For this month’s feature, WANT had the pleasure to talk with Trent Rodney.

Trent co-founded West Coast Modern with a clear vision: to focus on architecture, not real estate. That vision sparked a mission to preserve remarkable modernist houses designed by local Vancouver architects in the years following WWII. Today, Trent ensures these light-filled, soulful spaces find their way to design lovers who will give them the second life they deserve, and turn them into homes again.

You co-founded West Coast Modern Homes. How did the idea come to life?

I wanted to challenge the old formula — to show that design and culture could cross-pollinate to shape real estate in a way that preserves our city’s hidden architectural heritage.


Vancouver has a remarkable legacy of post-WWII modernist architecture. Could you walk us through the story and specific features of these houses?

Vancouver’s post-WWII modernist houses are celebrated for their material richness and cultural layers, from Arthur Erickson’s mother-of-pearl tiling in the Perry Estate to Japanese motifs inspired by his travels. These details, scattered across our region, speak to a west coast identity that cross-pollinates architecture, craftsmanship, and landscape. At West Coast Modern, we are uncovering and sharing these stories so these homes aren’t lost to demolition, and to date, not a single one under our care has been torn down.

What part of you profession do you love the most, and why?

I love the fact that the fight is no longer just local. What began as a small battle in Vancouver has grown into a global dialogue — where homes once dismissed as outdated now stand in the company of the world’s most celebrated architecture. What started as a sling stone has rippled far beyond our city.


Looking back, was there a pivotal moment — in your life or career — that changed your path?

Yes, there was. Over a decade ago, I was working in marketing in the financial sector, putting together campaigns for investment products. I was good at it, but I would always retreat to nature for peace. I’d spend hours walking the trails, rivers, and forests, and there was one place on the Coquitlam River I kept returning to — a granite rock in the middle of the current. It absorbed the heat of the sun, so it felt almost like a bed, and from there you could watch hawks overhead and wildlife moving around you as if it were a hidden highway.

Lying there, I found myself wondering: what if you could actually live like this, immersed in nature, with that same sense of refuge and healing every day? That question led me down a rabbit hole. I discovered Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater, and then I realized Canada had its own answer in Fred Hollingsworth. I reached out to his family — and that connection set me on the path I’ve been following ever since.

My main character trait: Curiosity. I’m the person who’ll walk into a room and end up asking about the light switches, the artwork, and the story behind the space.

The flaw I cannot forgive: I am who I am, and I’m meant to be that. But I’m learning to listen more than I talk — after all, we have two ears and one mouth for a reason.

What makes me angry: When a home with soul gets torn down just to make space for something bigger and somehow emptier.

The most interesting or unusual thing about me: People often expect me to be polished and refined. The truth? I like to get messy and muck around in the mud.

My hidden talent: Being equal parts creative and business-minded — a mix I learned through survival.

The last time I cried: It was from feeling alone.

The last time I laughed: If I don’t get three hard laughs a day, I might just self-combust.

Something that amazes me: That beauty really is in the eye of the beholder.

In love, I am: resourceful.  I like finding creative ways to nurture what matters.

In friendship, I am: with the trees, present and rooted.

What my friends would say about me: That I’m always deep in the work I love. Which means I don’t always surface quickly enough to reply.

The quality I appreciate most in others: Passion. Creativity. Hard work. Always.

The smell that moves me: Cedar and rain. It always takes me back to my time exploring Tofino.

The sound I love the most: The quiet creak of an old wood floor. It means a house has a story.

The dish I could eat every day: The sashimi nigiri cones, at AMA Raw Bar. The flavors are perfect, but what hooks me is the setting; an &Daughters design where the light feels like endless dusk and the bar turns into a stage. Eating there feels like slipping out of time.

My everyday style: Issey Miyake’s Pleats Please Collection; effortless, architectural, and always in motion.

The project that was the most challenging and how I overcame the difficulties: Starting out, people mocked the idea that mid-century homes could be positioned as luxury. The only way through was persistence — digging through archives, piecing together stories, and bringing their beauty back into the light until the same people who doubted us started calling for advice.

What has evolved the most in recent years in my perception of my work: 
I used to think preservation was the finish line. Now I see it’s just the beginning — it’s about creating models that can last for future generations, including a living collection of remastered classics where Vancouver’s leading architects and designers are writing the next chapter in the city’s design story.

Follow @westcoastmodern on Instagram to know more about their inspirations, collaborations, features, projects, and more.