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Maison Denison
By : ADHOC architectes
GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN – 16th edition
Discipline : Architecture : Grand Winner
Categories : Special Award / Architecture + Heritage Enhancement : Platinum Winner
Categories : Residential Building / Private House ≤ 2 000 pi2 (≤ 185 m2) : Silver Certification
Located in the heart of the Eastern Townships for nearly 200 years, the Denison House is one of those rare architectural witnesses that bear the memories of the colonization era of Lower Canada. The contemporary architectural intervention on this house aims to increase the surface area of the living spaces by converting a historic outbuilding of the house into a library open to the surrounding landscape, an office space, a garage and a possible dormitory. Passionate about history and literature, respect for the historic heritage of the site was an important criterion for the clients who chose to prioritize the preservation and conversion of this building to meet the growing needs of their family.
The result is a contextualized and just intervention that offers a new, peaceful and warm place that feels like it has always been part of this family home.
Being sensitive to the preservation of vernacular heritage, the reuse and enhancement of the existing building also appeared to be more environmentally friendly than a demolition and reconstruction. Once the decision was made to keep the structure, it was reinforced with hemlock beams recovered directly from the site offering continuous dimensions that would be extremely difficult to obtain with new materials. On the scale of the project, materials with ecological, sustainable and local properties were favored as much as possible. Thus, hemp wool, an ecological material produced locally in Val-des-Sources, was chosen for the building’s insulation and the use of sheet metal for the roof was favoured because of its great durability.
In order to decompartmentalize this site with its agricultural past and to reconnect the new occupants with the surrounding landscape, new openings were created in order to integrate a large fenestration on both sides of the building. This gesture allows multiple accesses to the exterior so that the occupants can fully enjoy the summer facilities while allowing natural light to enter the interior, thus allowing the contemplation of the surrounding hilly terrain composed of farmland and forest massifs on colder days.
On the first floor, this connecting space was redesigned as an entrance hallway, separating the existing spaces of the house from the new contemporary spaces created in the annex. The play of heights and the choice of materials create a harmonious transition. For example, the slate floor in the entrance hallway is a historical nod to the old quarries in Shipton Township and the exterior cladding of the house.
It is around values related to the preservation of the existing and the conservation of heritage that the contextual philosophy of ADHOC architects and the love for history and literature of the owners of the Denison House met. These common values allowed them to add their stone to the building and to write a page in the history of the Denison House.
Collaboration
