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The Slate
By : Blouin Beauchamp Architectes
GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN – 17th edition
Discipline : Architecture : Grand Winner
Categories : Special Award / Architecture + Materials : Gold Certification
Categories : Residential Building / Prestige House : Platinum Winner
Categories : Residential Building / Private House > 2 000 pi2 (> 185 m2) : Gold Certification
The Slate, from the monolith to the various contemplation scenes
The long plot located in the Greater Montreal area is bordered by a road running along former agricultural lands on one side and the Lake Deux-Montagnes on the other. Upon entering the site, an alley lined with tall mature trees directs us towards the lake. The extensive shoreline and vegetation cover are undeniable qualities of the place to enhance and preserve. The clients wished to build a large single-level house on the property. The brief also includes integrating multiple garages to showcase a car collection. The main challenge of this type of project lies in implementing strategies to reduce the environmental impact of such a single-family home while creating spectacular spaces that highlight the natural attributes of the site.
How to calibrate the project’s ground placement and integrate it well into its environment while meeting the clients’ expectations?
From the initial sketches, the approach considered is to divide the programming into two distinct volumes: the living area and the garage housing the car collection. The living area takes on a square shape and occupies the western part of the land, allowing for an opening towards the water. As for the garage volume, it is more linear in shape, embedded in the ground, acting as a screen with the neighboring property. The resulting ‘L’ shape layout is completed by a landscaped plaza, the forecourt, marking the entrance while integrating the car maneuvering spaces required by the program.
Located far from the public road, the positioning of the new construction allows, on one hand, to preserve the existing landscape in the eastern part of the land, maintaining tranquility and privacy, and, at the end of the journey, to highlight the nautical landscape offered by the Lake Deux-Montagnes.
The house is also designed to age with the users. Wanting to inhabit the space for as long as possible, accessibility quickly became central in the architectural considerations and circulation management. Hence, all living and intimate spaces are on the same level and will be easily adaptable to the occupants’ future needs.
How to create scenes of contemplation that enhance the landscape and spaces?
At the junction between the two volumes lies the main entrance. Slightly set back, it is framed by slate walls and the forecourt garden. This pivotal space is accompanied by a small interior garden facing south, allowing light to penetrate during midday.
The square-shaped volume of the house unfolds around a central atrium. This space punctuates the interior journey and organizes the spatial distribution of functions, living spaces, bedrooms, and the master suite. The atrium also provides natural lighting at the heart of the project. On the atrium floor, a water feature on large slate slabs creates a shimmering effect under the zenithal light.
The waterfront facade consists of large sliding glass panels, offering a panoramic view of the bay. The living spaces of the residence extend outside through a veranda, a series of terraces, and an infinity pool. The large roof of the building, like a wooden veil, extends outward to shade the facade from the sun and protect it from the lake’s elements.
How to reduce the ground footprint of the spaces allocated to cars?
The volume showcasing the car collection is spread over two levels: a ground floor communicating with the living spaces of the house and a basement accessible via a reworked site topography. This strategy reduces the footprint on the site and diminishes the visual prominence of this volume, making its integration easier. To avoid a ‘commercial’ reading of the main facade due to a series of garage doors, they are concealed with continuous wooden cladding on the same vertical plane.
How to reduce resource consumption and energy consumption?
The project’s materiality was intended to embody simplicity, authenticity, and durability. Cedar and slate are prioritized for the exterior envelope. The slate masonry, a material from the Eastern Townships, also finds its echo in the landscaped treatment; a slate gravel and pavers of the same stone are chosen for the drivable surfaces, further connecting the building to its site. Wood, which adorns some of the facades less exposed to the elements, also finds its way into the interior environments; most of the ceilings are composed of cedar paneling, providing warmth to the spaces.
The concern to reduce the environmental impact of this construction is reflected in an efficient envelope and high-performance mechanical systems. The dialogue established during the design process with experts in energy simulations allowed optimizing the envelope design; sizing and orientation of fenestration, triple glazing, thermal insulation exceeding current standards. Moreover, the forced air heating system, radiant floors, and air conditioning are coupled with a geothermal loop.
The new residence on the shores of Lake Deux-Montagnes is nestled in a green setting. Here, each interior and exterior element is designed with a route highlighting the natural elements of the site. The simplicity of the whole creates a comfortable, bright, and warm environment.
Collaboration
Landscape Architecture : Aménagement paysager Uni-Vert
General Contractor : Parma Construction Inc.
Engineering : CLA Experts-Conseils Inc.
Engineering : Martin Roy et Associés (MRA)
Landscape Architecture : fahey
