Taking its inspiration from the owners’ collection of glass art, this hybrid home, private spa and art gallery explores qualities of transparency, water, and light. The project showcases the owners’ collection of art, furniture, and fine art glass and creates a private setting to foster health and wellness. The L-shaped house sits lightly in the landscape. In both massing and materiality, it integrates with the natural surroundings. The design blurs the boundaries between exterior and interior, building and nature, richness and simplicity, tradition and innovation.
The plan puts living quarters at the centre, with the spa and gallery functions in wings to either side. The layout offers expansive interior and exterior views, and the external treatment employs natural materials, such as Algonquin limestone, copper detailing and awnings, rift-cut oak, and teak windows to integrate with the surrounding site. The residence has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the 2006 Ontario Association of Architects Award of Excellence, the 2005 Architecture Magazine’s Home of the Year Awards, and was declared by Art Info to be one of the world’s 12 best new buildings.
