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Catchacoma Cottage
By : Dubbeldam Architecture + Design
GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN – 17th edition
Discipline : Architecture
Categories : Residential Building / Cottage & Country House : Gold Certification
Designed for an extended family of three generations, this one-storey cottage offers a highly functional space in a compact footprint. A central gathering space includes a kitchen, space for living and dining with high sloped ceilings, and a loft space tucked above the kitchen. On each side, distinct wings house family bedrooms and guest bedrooms as separate volumes. The cottage includes 6 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and a family room in a tight footprint of 205 square meters, emphasizing social connections and shared experiences. Steeply sloped rooflines articulate the three volumes, each sitting at a different floor height that follows the natural grade of the site.
To sustain a continuous connection to the landscape, the design approach minimizes visual and physical barriers between interior and exterior spaces to enhance enjoyment of the cottage experience. Views and access to the exterior are featured along every axis; each circulation route culminates in openings to the exterior ensuring a constant connection to the surrounding landscape. Sloping rooflines with vaulted ceilings offer increased light and natural ventilation, while retaining a cozy and human scale within.
On the interior a palette of white, wood, and dark accents carries throughout. Maple plywood sheets clad the interior walls, with two standouts: a wall of cold rolled steel surrounding the wood-burning stove and a wall of reclaimed wood in the entry foyer. In contrast, the kitchen features charcoal grey material accents, including a greystone island and metal elements. These components strike a balance with the warmth of the wood throughout. Outside, charred wood siding allows the cottage to blend into its setting, harmonizing with the dark tree trunks that surround it. The sloped site’s challenges are addressed by an expansive deck spanning multiple levels, effectively bridging the grade difference and offering various areas for different groups to gather.
