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Maison solaire Schoolcraft

By : L. McComber

GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN – 16th edition

Discipline : Architecture

Categories : Residential Building / Cottage & Country House : Silver Certification

Can you build an efficient architect-designed home in the middle of nowhere on a budget? That was the wish expressed by a young family when they purchased their land in 2019. With the pandemic, the project accelerated. The challenge was set: to take advantage of the view of the Green Mountains to the west, to maximize thermal gains in the winter to the south, to reduce deforestation on the land, to minimize the building\\\’s footprint in the landscape, all with the greatest economy of means and… as quickly as possible!

Compact and uncluttered, the interior volume is sited near the road and oriented toward the view to the west. A long shed extends the roof over the entrance, protecting its inhabitants from prying eyes and their automobile from the elements. From the road, the house is very discreet. When we enter, our eyes are plunged into the undergrowth on one side and the horizon on the other. The large ash trees and mature maples to the south protect the window from the summer overheat. The single-story master bedroom enjoys a stunning view of the setting sun, while the three compact garden-level bedrooms take advantage of the sloping terrain. The prefabrication of the highly airtight wooden walls allowed for the rapid construction of an almost passive house with a meager 114 kWh/m²/year consumption. Despite the post-pandemic inflation, the challenge is met! Welcome to the friendly Schoolcraft solar house!

Collaboration

General Contractor : Fabest

Photographer : Raphaël Thibodeau