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Résidence Chibougamau
By : CGA architectes inc.
GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN – 14th edition
Discipline : Architecture
Categories : Residential Building / Single-Family Home : Silver Certification
In Chibougamau, a young family called upon CGA architects to design an energy-efficient home that would respond to the local context and local market by its reasonable size and budget. Designed to withstand the harsh winters of northern Quebec, the residence was made affordable by the use of low-tech architectural solutions. The project embodies the form and intrinsic qualities of the traditional Canadian home, reinterpreted to maximize its comfort and efficiency.
In winter, the black metal and the black cedar clad exterior contrasts with the white Nordic backdrop, emphasizing the compact volume. The double height living room manifests itself by a large, protruding dormer that faces South, allowing for an optimal use of passive solar energy. At the heart of the house, a generous massive fireplace made of concrete blocks rises vertically.
Inside, the spatial planning is fluid and the areas are well defined: on the ground floor, a central "cube” contains the services spaces, while the remaining negative space structures the living areas. Upstairs, the strategy is reversed: the opaque cube of the first floor is made hollow and the surrounding spaces make up the bedrooms. A kind of catwalk gives onto the double-height living room, providing a spectacular view through the oversized dormer and allowing sunlight to penetrate deep into the space.
Collaboration
Architect : CGA architectes inc.
