Bigwin Island is located in the middle of the Muskoka region, a pristine landscape of lakes and bays to the north of Toronto. Today, the island is undergoing a revitalization by property owner Jack Wadsworth, who rather than developing a conventional hotel, is developing a series of cabins on the island to be designed by MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects.
The architecture of the cabins draws from the region’s historic cottages and boathouses with their cedar shingle-clad roofs, screened-in porches, decks, and hearths – all built from natural materials and crafted locally.
The main pavilion space is particularly striking with a ceiling that rises to a peak, naturally lit from above by a periscope window in the gable. Windows wrap the space on three sides providing expansive views. The ceiling is lined with shiplapped wood, which is used throughout the interior.
Treading lightly on the site, a geothermal heating system that harvests heat from the lake provides underfloor heating during the winter. In the summer, a natural passive ventilation system directs hot air up and away through the roof.
Currently only there are three 1200 square foot cabins, with the intention to create a community of 40.
