South-facing vertical windows allow blades of sunlight to penetrate deep within the house while obscuring less desirable views of the parking lot.
Lighthouse
Ottawa
Lighthouse vertically stacks open and closed spaces for a thoughtful balance of private and social areas.
The home was designed for a family of five relocating from a rural setting to this modern urban dream house.
Smart Orientation
Design Insight - Art Space
22-foot ceilings create a beautiful siloing effect in this elevated great room. Radiant-heated, warm maple floors and crisp white walls, absent of visible light fixtures, assure an uncluttered feel. The room brilliantly showcases art and promotes effortless conversation.
Shedding Area
A limestone floor greets the large side entrance, creating a generous ‘shedding area' for the teenagers, allowing a natural lead-in to the open kitchen and dining area.
Place Of Welcome
The two-sided fireplace that screens the front entrance provides a “welcome beacon of warmth to new arrivals on a cold night” and fills the living room with its playful glow.
Treehouse
The top-level is a master suite. The boutique hotel feel is completed by a roof-top terrace, spa, and spaces perfect for working, relaxing, and sleeping.
Design Insight - Views
The singular kidney-shaped site, wedged between a parking lot and a forested escarpment, presented unique challenges. We recognised them as opportunities to coordinate views with light. The primary glazed façade was oriented North, ensuring privacy on the south side while filling the with diffused sunlight.
"Shaped by the unique site conditions and the lifestyle of a busy modern family"
Rhys Pillips, Candian Interiors, Sept/Oct 2010 edition
Collaborators
Working drawings: Douglas Hardie Architect Inc.
Construction: The Lake Partnership
Photography: Christian Lalonde