naturehumaine tops lake house in canada with sculptural slanted roofs + polygonal skylights

located on a steep, wooded lot on the shores of lake memphremagog in canada, this house by naturehumaine takes its cues from the architectural principles applied to churches. the home is composed of three volumes topped with sculptural slanted roofs and polygonal skylights that bring in natural light to the living spaces. the envelope of the three volumes of the upper floor combines pre-aged wood siding with stainless steel for the roofs, to which the patina of time will give a matte and uniform appearance.all images by adrien williams

naturehumaine has built ‘memphremagog lake house’ on a large wooded lot not far from the benedictine monks’ abbey in st-benoit-du-lac. access to the land is overhanging the project by a path going down to the lake, enhancing the visual importance of its geometric roofs. developed for clients who wished for a dynamic, welcoming place for meeting with friends, the chalet is composed of three volumes clad in pre-aged wood and resting on a corten steel base. from the lake, the base, with its tones of rust and brown, blends in with the roughness of the hemlocks, giving the impression that the house is floating.

the three volumes are topped with sculptural roofs with diagonal ridge, while at each high point of the ridge, a polygonal skylight culminates, formed by the geometry of the roof. these south-facing skylights provide natural light to the living spaces, which open toward the lake to the north. ‘the house is inspired by the architectural principles applied to churches,’ notes the montreal-based architecture studio, ‘large volumes with vertical proportions lit by zenithal light. the expansion of the st-benoît abbey, designed by dan hanganu using grey stone and rough steel, was a source of inspiration for the attention to detail.’

on the main floor of the house, the cathedral-roofed volumes house three functional groupings. the first volume shelters the living spaces as well as the mosquito net space; the second houses the parking lot and the workshop; and the last one contains the night spaces. at the intersection of these three volumes is the functional core as well as the staircase leading to the lower floor. partially recessed into the slope of the lot, the rooms for the guests are located in a row on top of each other and feature large windows overlooking the lake.

naturehumaine has blended a palette of timeless materials inside the house; concrete floors, ceilings adorned with wood, as well as integrated furniture elements made of wood and raw or stainless steel. at the heart of the living space is the steel-clad central fireplace, which serves the kitchen, dining room and living room at the same time. monumental, it is suspended from the roof and derives its angular geometry from the diagonal formed by the roof slopes. ‘the variation and angular geometry makes each space singular, each point of view dynamic, while blurring the perception of the scale of this house,’ adds the studio.

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project info:

name: memphremagog lake house

architect: naturehumaine

location: cantons de l’est, quebec, canada

general contractor: constructions boivin

year: 2020