Located on the shores of Sparrow Lake, near Gravenhurst Ontario, this wood and glass residence captures the striking views of both the lake and the surrounding woods. Nestled into the landscape, between the rock edge of the lake and the dense surrounding forest, the sculptural form is a dramatic response to the rugged landscape.
The building is defined by two contrasting, curved elevations: one solid and the other transparent. Approaching the residence by road, one first encounters the solid elevation. A dark-stained, wood-clad wall provides a degree of privacy and intrigue, with the front door set obliquely into a single opening in the curved wall plane. However, upon entry, the experience is decompressed to reveal a large central living space, cradled by a lake-facing curved wall of full height glazing.
Wood Backed Curtain Wall
The desire for the sculptural, sweeping roofline to ‘hover’ above a wall of glass called for a cap-less silicone-glazed window system. An aluminum-backed curtain wall did not seem appropriate to this project, so a structural silicone-glazing system was custom engineered and fastened onto deep Douglas Fir mullion back sections. The resulting system provided a cost-effective and thermally-efficient solution and the material warmth and richness to the otherwise paired down interior spaces. With the simultaneous curvature and slope of the glazed elevation detailed computer modeling was used to aid in the fabrication of the glazing system.
Wood Cladding
In order to accentuate the curving exterior walls, bevel siding was used in a non-traditional vertical application, creating a saw-tooth texture.
Three bevel profiles were custom-milled from sustainably harvested Eastern White Cedar. A random pattern of these three profiles was mapped onto the architectural model to create an accurate template for material take-offs and installation. Intermittent notches were cut into the horizontal furring strips in order to ensure proper rain-screen performance. The local cedar siding was refined at a nearby sawmill and finished with a low VOC stain.
