Inspired by their many years in the fashion and design industries, the two clients of Palissade acquired a small boathouse nestled on a narrow, steep lot with the aim of building an unconventional home that would serve as an architectural manifestation of their artistic vision.

Located in Austin, between Route 112 and Lake Orford, a small existing structure extended into the flood zone surrounding the lake. Although the original intention was to renovate the cottage, it was decided to rebuild closer to the road, placing the new house on safer ground in relation to potential flooding.

 

This specific condition led to the idea of a rather opaque and massive construction facing the road, giving it a defensive appearance—like a brick palisade. On the other hand, a large degree of transparency towards the lake was desired, allowing the house to benefit from the panoramic views, seamlessly integrated into the lakeside landscape. Overlaying these site characteristics was the challenge of the land’s orientation, as the road-facing facade is south-oriented while the lake is to the north. To address this, a high horizontal window band was integrated on the south side, allowing natural light to fill the entry vestibule and bathrooms. To bring generous light into the heart of the house, a skylight crowns the ridge of the roof, extending above a large walkway oriented toward the lake, ensuring that the living spaces opening onto it would remain luminous.

 

The house thus appears as a massive masonry block, topped with a low-pitched four-sided roof and flanked by a small-detached garage, also in masonry. The choice of brick as a cladding material was made with durability in mind, but it also serves as an acoustic mass facing the busy street. Conceptually, the heaviness of the volume anchors the structure to the site, giving the impression that the roof, separated by the horizontal window band, is floating.

 

The floor plan is composed of two levels: the street-level main floor and the garden-level lower floor. Service functions are placed on the roadside, while living spaces are oriented toward the lake. A terrace has been created on the west side, adjacent to the kitchen, to take advantage of the sunset. The kitchen’s functional wall extends into this terrace, providing privacy from the house’s entrance and accommodating an outdoor kitchen.

 

To the east, the master bedroom shares a fireplace with the living room. It features minimal glazing due to the significant visual proximity of the neighbouring building, but a glazed corner still allows for morning sunlight and views of Mount Orford. On the garden level, a small sitting room and several bedrooms were designed, as the owners enjoy hosting guests.

 

In terms of color scheme, it was important for the clients to distance themselves from the ubiquitous use of white in contemporary architecture. They wanted noble materials with warm tones, abundant texture layering, and a timeless atmosphere. Thus, stained wood paneling was installed on the ceilings, and cherry veneer was applied to the walls. Copper-framed windows complement the wood tones. Beige brick, the same as on the exterior, appears on the kitchen wall, where a recessed cabinet niche in taupe tones is also featured. This color is echoed in both interior and exterior railings. Natural stone was used for the fireplace, kitchen island, and vanities.

 

In summary, the Palissade project is an exercise in style that skillfully distils the artistic influences of its owners into a cohesive whole, breaking away from the conventional archetypes. Carefully decorated, this exceptional home is sure to inspire both its residents, and the many visitors welcomed to stay there.

Some small projects have big ambitions. This is the case of Selenite, a forest refuge focused on relaxation and well-being located in the Eastern Townships, Quebec. The clients, a young self-builder couple, had wanted to work with architects for several years to realize their vision combining ecological architecture, wellness and a unique resort experience.

 

An important aspect of the project for the clients was the desire to offer a chalet for rent that is universally accessible, without skimping on the quality of the spaces. Indeed, renting a country house can be complex for a person with reduced mobility or a disability. All clearances, equipment and furniture have therefore been designed to be passable and safe for as many people as possible.

 

The clients themselves named the project “selenite” in reference to the crystalline mineral also called “moonstone” which is believed to have soothing properties. Like a sanctuary in the middle of the forest, it was set quite early in the process that the lodge would have a formally monochrome white appearance to reinforce the idea of ​​selenite and its restful quality. Both for a symbolic reason and topographical conditions, a square plan was adopted. This form made it possible to increase the compactness of the project and to properly distribute the main programmatic needs, while reinforcing the idea of ​​balance and harmony, intrinsic to the identity of the project.

 

Therefore, the house appears as a white cube measuring 36 feet by 36 feet with a set of sloping roofs resembling two equal crystals inverted from a central axis. Moving away from the lodge we distinguish two twin prisms emerging from the surrounding bedrocks. A square skylight pierces each peak, accentuating the idea of balance and symmetry. The living room and the bathroom are the two rooms provided with a skylight and consequently a higher ceiling while the rest of the attic was judiciously used to store several mechanical devices serving other facilities available to users to enhance their stay. Among these, we find a complete hydrotherapeutic circuit, including a steam bath, a sauna, a spa, a cold bath and a salt room. A complete home automation system is also available to travelers, controlling overall lighting synchronized to the circadian rhythm and allowing to launch guided meditation sessions in any of the rooms.

 

Keen on using healthy and local materials that would stand the test of time, the clients opted for hemp wool wall insulation, as an example. A faraday cage wrapping the house also blocks electromagnetic waves for people with electro-sensitivity. Interior finishing materials are all VOC-free while wood was favored for the cabinetry elements of the project. Designed by the workshop À hauteur d’Homme the kitchen was ergonomically conceived for comfort, adaptability and inclusiveness.

 

The exterior envelope, subtle and monochrome, is made up of wooden planks, large windows pane and a metal roof while all mechanical elements were judiciously painted white to reinforce the monochromatic concept of the project.

The three streams house (M3R) project is in the Eastern Townships Forest, in the municipality of Sutton. The house is positioned near three magnificent creeks that crisscross on this wooded lot of more than five acres. It is this unique morphological characteristic that encourages clients to choose this site for their permanent home.

 

Several parameters dictated the design of this red wood clad house, starting with the client’s wish to position the construction on a slope descending from a low angle on the crossing of the 3 streams. This location made possible to embed a garden level which gives full access to the vegetated land near the watercourses.

 

Thus, the project is structured into three programmatic components: the living spaces on the ground floor, the carport/workshop and the spaces for guests on the garden level. The client wanted to benefit from an exceptional entrance, highlighting the remarkable site of the project. Thus, access to the house is made along a covered passage between the carport/workshop on one side and the sloping ground on the other, thus reconciling the built environment with the landscaping work. Approaching the building, the visitor is led to closely appreciate the constructive details such as the vertical cladding of wood painted scarlet red and punctuated by a set of vertical and interspersed sticks. The choice of color for the project is also a nod to the old bridges covered in wood and the old barns of the Eastern Townships region which were often painted in this color nicknamed “red cedar”.

 

In the house, a comfortable vestibule provides access via a linear passage to the master quarters as well as the living spaces. The spacious master bedroom includes a meditation space with a glass corner offering an overlooking view of the 3 streams. A walk-in closet was placed back, so as not to visually clutter the space. The main bathroom invites contemplation, thanks to a built-in bath along a large window facing the forest.

 

The living spaces, which are rather sober in their materiality, encourage relaxation and contemplation of the surrounding nature. The built-in white oak furniture, the polished concrete floor, as well as the wooden cladding on the ceiling frame the visual breakthroughs over the leafy landscape. A largely glazed access in the corner provides access to a generous terrace overlooking the three streams. On the garden level, a studio for guests has been set up, as well as a massage room giving access to a small discreet terrace.

 

At the foot of the three streams, a winding, vegetated path winds its way through a slight escarpment to the threshold of the house. Residents can thus benefit from both the benefits of fresh water and the sweet sounds that result from it. The three streams house (M3R) becomes a calm and rejuvenating living environment for the couple who have taken up residence there. This timeless residence with rustic materials is part of the vernacular architecture of the Estrie region while deploying a contemporary architectural language.

La Cime is a micro-chalet project in the heart of nature in the village of Sainte-Béatrix in Lanaudière, with the sensory adventure as a starting point. It is located on a densely wooded land offering high views of the treetops. The small dwelling borders a significant drop in land of approximately 100 feet. Depending on the season and the density of the foliage, we can see the De la Boule River further below.

 

For environmental reasons, the micro-chalet is perched on a series of galvanized steel piles to reduce the impact of the construction on the plant cover and to allow the natural flow of runoff water. The project also received a LEED GOLD certification in addition to meeting novoclimat standards, thanks to, among other things, a more efficient envelope.

 

Built on two levels with an area of ​​498 ft2, the ground floor of the chalet is perched 12 feet above the ground. It is reached via a galvanized steel staircase with an intermediate landing. From an arrival point protected from bad weather, you can access the terrace, the sauna and the interior space of the micro-chalet. On this floor is a vestibule, a bathroom, a hammam shower and the only bedroom. A staircase then leads us to the second floor, including the living spaces.

 

Wishing to create a unique sensory experience for visitors, the design of the building was determined by the beauty of the views of the surrounding nature. Living spaces such as the living room, dining room and kitchen are located at height to amplify the levitation effect in the plant canopy. The windows are intended to be framed but generous to take advantage of the panorama. The felt experience is also magnified by the floating effect provided by the location of the home, at the edge of the steep slope of the land.

 

The micro-chalet is made up of 3 main areas: the interior volume of two floors; the suspended terrace coupled with a circular hot bath and a relaxation area; and finally, the sauna with its outdoor shower. The 3 entities are connected by an exterior covered passageway identifiable on the facade by an openwork wooden slat shutter. The result is a covered area offering both a glimpse of the plant canopy and access to all the project’s spa-like facilities.

 

Inspired by the architecture of traditional chalets, the volume of the project adopts a double slope roof coupled with minimalist details: slight roof overhangs, transparent facade corner and insertion of oversized glass panels. Pre-aged western pine covers all the facades to unify the different components of the small refuge. The interior is also treated seamlessly with white pine paneling on the walls and ceilings, a diamond-polished radiant concrete slab, built-in plywood furniture and a net of woven ropes as a hammock above climbing stairs.

 

Despite the plurality of places and spatial experiences confined in a small space, a climate of tranquility and simplicity emerges from the whole. It is this simplicity that leaves plenty of room for relaxation and the treetops.