Many experiments have been conducted so far to control the growth mode in heterostructures, but success has only been restricted to strain-controlled growth systems. In this study, using the shadow mask deposition technique, we have changed the growth mode in the Fe/W heterostructures from the layer-plus-island growth mode to island-plus-layer growth mode. From this, we have ignited the competing growth between forming the islands and wetting the first layer, and have directly visualized the island-plus-layer growth by controlling the annealing temperature of the system. This unconventional growth mode may play an important role in studying the hidden boundaries of hetero-interfaces. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.