Atelier Échelle used an iconic barn archetype to create a contemporary vacation home in the heart of Quebec, Canada.
The rural landscape of Quebec in Canada is dotted with gabled-roofed barns nestled amongst farmlands and pastures. Montreal-based architecture and design studio Atelier Échelle believes the humble and functional form of agricultural architecture is enchanting with a raw beauty.
For a holiday home in Magog on the shores of Lake Memphremagog, the firm’s co-founders Veronica and Mathieu Lemieux-Blanchard used a barn archetype to anchor the structure. Their client was a couple with three grown children seeking to escape the city, and indulge their passion for art, cooking and entertaining alongside outdoor activities such as boating, fishing and swimming.
This brief led to a clean and crisp interior design that showcased the couple’s art collection within an array of four distinctive volumes connected by glass bridges that feel at home with the southeast Quebec countryside.
“The site itself is a rare gem as it has water access and offers gorgeous sunsets over the water and mountains beyond – perfect for cocktail hour views,” Veronica says. “Our clients wanted a fluid and open space ideal for appreciating artworks and hosting friends. From the start, we knew the guestrooms would have en suite bathrooms akin to a hotel room. They didn’t want the rooms to belong to any individual, but rather remain flexible; the storage is just enough for short stays.”
Key to the home is the sensitive selection of materials that will age gracefully, and which gently merge the house with the landscape. Grey is the dominant exterior palette, with cedar roof shingles, Danish clay bricks and locally sourced Cambrian granite chosen to reflect their fabrication.
“The handmade bricks were created by Danish artisans according to a process that has been passed on for generations,” Veronica says. “Their variations in colour add dynamism to the façade, while their extra long format creates a horizontal texture that reminds me of woven fabric.”
To maximise the views and the changing light with different seasons, Atelier Échelle worked with Sky-Frame to create an expansive 15-metre wide window with minimal mullions.
“The idea was that the window frame itself would disappear to allow the natural landscape and lake to be the true focus. Similarly, the glass bridges connecting the four forms invite daylight into the home and reinforce the moment of transition as you see the brick and landscape while passing between the volumes.”
Inside, the 13,000 square foot six-bedroom home consists of four zones that correspond with the four architectural volumes. Closest to the lake is a summer home sheltered from rain, yet otherwise part of the surroundings with an outdoor kitchen, dining area, lounge and generous hot tub featuring custom tiles by Winnipeg artist Simon Hughes. The indoor winter home adjacent to the summer home mirrors its spaces, although swaps the tub for an intimate music room with a grand piano.
The third zone is a living quarter featuring a powder room with a wrap-around mural by Hughes, wine cellar and the primary suite. Last is a guest zone that spans two levels, with a hidden billiards room, gym and kids lounge for guests to stream shows or fight over foosball.
“Working with Simon Hughes was an absolute pleasure,” Veronica says. “The mural wraps all four walls of the powder room and represents the four seasons with simple geometric shapes and collaged images from vintage magazines. To maximise the wall space, the sink stands at the centre of the space in a bronze column to obscure the toilet and urinal beyond, while allowing the mural to travel uninterrupted across the space. For the hot tub, the glass mosaic has the effect of icebergs floating at the edge of the water.”
As the couple love contemporary Italian furnishings, Atelier Échelle looked to Latitude Nord to source singular pieces augmented by vintage rugs and antiques for a blend of new with old.
The living room features an Edra sofa with a pair of suede Giorgetti lounge chairs. Poltrona Frau bar stools flank the kitchen island, while the music room includes Minotti lounge chairs and a card table.
In the summer home, handmade indigo-glazed ceramic tiles clad the exterior dining table, with woven dining chairs, lounge seating, ottomans and a large double swing all courtesy of Paola Lenti. Montreal lighting studio Lambert & Fils created custom pendant fixtures for the kitchen and dining areas.
“Since there is an abundance of natural light, it was important the fixtures have a sculptural quality in their own right. The process we explored was one of pressed glass; introducing the amber colour really stretched the limitation of the process.”
Veronica was also pleased with the home’s lounge, as it captures the essence of the house as a place for relaxed enjoyment of the fire and lake surrounded by art.
“The main space does a lot of work, and yet it is balanced – that balance amid the strong design elements is something of which we are particularly proud of.”
