Canada: Renovation of Chalet A cottage near Montreal

 Eastern Townships, near Montréal

Architects: Matière Première Architecture

Photography  ©  Ian Balmorel

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Matière Première Architecture:

Charmed by the ever-so-popular typology of the A-frame cottage, the new owners of this 1950s property aspired to renovate and revitalize the cottage into a 21st-century home. Located in the Eastern Townships, near Montréal, this unique structure sits on an evergreen forest, nearly touching the water on its breathtaking waterplane. Inaccessibility during the long winter months greatly contributed to accumulated neglect, essentially exposing the old cabin to years of harsh Canadian winters.

The owners engaged with a resourceful local architect studio, Matière Première Architecture, and its affiliated construction company, Nu Drom, to design and renovate the 3-seasons cottage. Obtaining a simple brief honoring the A-frame typology, with an emphasis on an ecological approach, the architects designed a series of spaces that promote its juxtaposition with the water, while optimizing the available space of the cottage for better usage.

Concept & interior spaces: The project was designed to host a series of fluid and relaxing spaces while offering a close relationship to the lake. The architecture beautifully captures the natural landscape that unfolds beyond its structure, which becomes fundamental to the living spaces with its offering of an intimate and cozy experience for its occupants. The A-frame silhouette produces playful spaces, while continuously offering views toward the lake. This undisturbed relation with the exterior is held throughout the project, exposing the cycles and the rhythms of the ever-changing weather.