A-Frame Cottage by Jean Verville Architecte
The house in A-frame construction emphasised on optimising the views of the surrounding nature with new openings, sometimes pointing to the lake, sometimes the sky, to better converse with its landscape.
The house presents an A-frame construction
The cottage, built in the 1960s on an enchanting site of the Laurentians in Canada, presents a triangular structural form. The architect employed different approaches to develop a new layout that rejects repetitions with a feasible approach that allows complete freedom and flexibility. The goal is to create a home that will provide a relaxing feeling for this family retreat away from urban frenzy.
The architect who helms this project has pursued a PhD in Arts at UQAM. Following a series of research in Japan, focusing on “Art House Projects”, has led the architect to a reflection on the artistic experience within architecture and bringing out the possibilities of hybridisation between arts and architecture, and their impact on the architectural creation process.
Challenging the initial hypothesis of lack of space, the architect opted instead for subtracting floor areas in favour of spatial quality. At the same time compressed and fragmented, stratified and unobstructed, the living area decreases from 88 m2 to 64 m2 by intensively exploiting the densification of spaces.
In this A-Frame Cottage project is a representation of diversified production in architecture, installation and scenography, offering a new modality of appreciation of architecture with new openings pointing sometimes the lake, sometimes the sky, to better converse with the landscape.
The living space opens to nature and is joined by a compact kitchen area enjoying space clearance from the staircase as well as the double height of the structure.
Doubled with a reading corner nestled in a triangular alcove, this room all dressed in wood reveals a fascinating place entirely dedicated to areas of interest and relaxation, away from the living spaces of the ground floor.
Ingeniously playing with scales, Verville managed to increase the perception of visual depth by exploiting limits and openings to admirably draw part of the density of this space. A window positioned on the floor of the master bedroom allows natural light pouring in all around and that enhances the brightness of the kitchen area below. The entire space, emphasising a double-height, offers a natural view of the lake from the bed optimising the views of the surrounding nature.
Images courtesy of Maxime Brouillet
