ACDF Architecture has completed a remarkable residential project in Canada that exemplifies the seamless integration of modern design with the natural landscape. The House of la Baie de l'Ours stands as a testament to thoughtful architecture that reveals rather than imposes upon its stunning lakeside setting. Architect Maxime Frappier emphasized the project's philosophy, stating, "We didn't want to impose a shape on the landscape; we wanted to reveal what was already there."
The architectural centerpiece of the home is its expansive 5' x 5' coffered timber roof that spans the central portion of the house, creating a protective canopy over the main living areas. This impressive structure is primarily supported by a series of strategically positioned stone monoliths, deliberately placed away from the corners to allow for dramatic cantilevers that extend the interior spaces outward into the landscape. This innovative structural approach creates expansive, sheltered outdoor areas while dissolving the traditional boundaries between indoor and outdoor living.
The roof system serves multiple functions beyond mere shelter, orchestrating a sophisticated dialogue between visual strength and lived comfort. Acoustic panels are installed within each timber coffer, enhancing the tranquility of the main living spaces, while discreet lighting devices integrated along the perimeter of these panels gently illuminate the warm wood textures. Strategically placed skylights further enrich the architectural rhythm, allowing natural light to shift and dance across surfaces throughout the day and changing seasons.
The structural columns are concealed within large monolithic stone walls that help define various subspaces throughout the interior. As these walls extend outward, they gradually transform into low stone partitions called "murets" that anchor the house to the ground, appearing as natural extensions of the terrain itself. This design strategy reinforces the project's integration with its surroundings, establishing an organic continuity between the built environment and the natural landscape.
The living areas are organized in a fluid sequence designed to support both social gathering and private retreat. The kitchen features a cozy dinette area, while the sunken living room opens generously to the lake views. The centrally positioned dining room enjoys dual visual connections to both the forest and water, creating an immersive experience with nature. A fireplace serves as the central gathering element, visible from all shared spaces and creating a warm, unifying presence around which domestic life revolves.
A secondary kitchen, concealed within a dark wood volume and accessed through a discreet passage, supports larger gatherings without interfering with the main social spaces. Behind the kitchen, a large screened terrace unfolds beneath the roof's protective overhang, equipped with retractable mosquito screens to create a true outdoor living room. An outdoor fireplace positioned in perfect alignment with the indoor hearth creates striking symmetry, allowing both fireplaces to be viewed simultaneously from the kitchen island.
The home features two distinct wings flanking the central living spaces - one dedicated to the parents and another to the children. A partial upper level, located above the children's wing, houses a guest suite and family workspaces, providing both privacy and spatial fluidity for daily life. The master suite is accessed through a glazed corridor that serves as a transition between shared areas and the more private quarters.
The parental suite includes a lake-facing bedroom, an intimate lounge, a generous walk-in closet, and a bathroom that opens onto the forest. Outside, a sunken terrace bordered by built-in benches and a fireplace extends the atmosphere of calm and reflection, nestled into the terrain to invite deep connection with the natural elements of water, wood, and stone.
Opposite the master wing, a dark wood-clad hallway leads to a large playroom that bridges the main living areas and children's bedrooms. This generously lit space, open at both ends to the outdoors, serves as a fluid transition zone between collective and private spaces. The children's bedrooms open onto the landscape with direct access to a private terrace, connected to the main terrace by a charming wooden bridge that crosses over a planted zone.
The House of la Baie de l'Ours represents a vision of architecture where form, material, and lived experience unite to reveal the inherent richness of place. Rather than imposing a spectacular gesture, the project focuses on unveiling what the site naturally offered: abundant light, varied topography, proximity to water, and the density of the surrounding forest. Through precise composition, honest materiality, and constant attention to spatial experience, the architecture becomes a medium of connection between people, interior and exterior spaces, and the built and natural environments.
