Description of the project by Studio AC

Devil’s Glen is located on the Bruce Peninsula, a few hours north of Toronto. The project process began with a picnic on the site, where the discussion focused more on the natural elements of the site than on the building. This conversation inspired the ethos of the project to come.

The project began with two fixtures, one with the house positioned true to an NSEW to take advantage of the sun’s course throughout the day, the view of the water and to avoid disturbing the landscape as much as possible. natural habitat. The second fixation was to have the landscape of the bridge act as a device to shape the light, levels of privacy and views to the treetops, water and sky beyond.

Devil’s Glen by StudioAC. Photograph by Felix Michaud.

The house is organized in two linear bars, one with bedrooms and the other with an open living space. A modest floor plan uses a simple 12′ x 16′ grid for living areas and 12′ x 12′ for sleeping to allow unhindered living inside. A simple switch of the two bars produces a covered veranda facing the water and a screened porch at the entrance, while increasing the privacy of the master bedroom and secondary bathrooms. This change in the rungs and location of the house also obscures the view of the water when arriving at the site. Once inside the house, the landscape and water are revealed through vignette-style windows facing the forest, as well as a wide wall of glass facing the lake.

The plant is topped with a seemingly simple roof that responds structurally and formally to the heavy snowfalls that can occur in the area. Simplicity is seen in the formal and structural concept of the roof using framed and clad trusses to increase lateral stability, but these serve a dual purpose. Although the outer face of the roof was consistent, freedom was left as to what could be done with the partition between the two bands above the height of the primary walls. Within each zone, this partition can oscillate from left to right, sometimes producing an intimate gable, a large shed or a funnel of light. This tactic is further enabled in the form of a sky viewing platform centered on the landscape of the bridge to observe treetops, clouds, and stars.

Devil’s Glen by StudioAC. Photograph by Felix Michaud.

The choice of a singular metal building was inspired by agricultural buildings in the region, and a robust galvanized modulation, free from finishing colors, increases robustness and reflects the nuances of the landscape and the sky throughout the day. Inside, a simple application of white-painted drywall and plywood to the deck landscape schematizes the architectural device, while producing a tranquil backdrop for art, views, and sunlight.