The underlying architectural idea of “La maison noire” emerged from the intrinsic qualities of its site, a beautiful rock promontory facing the Lac des deux Montagnes, in the Laurentides area. Conceived as a simple element gently laid out in the landscape, the house imitates the old barns darkened by the ages and similarly, in the manner of the country houses by the sea, standing against the wind.
The house has an open plan, rectangular shape with a service / circulation core. All the interior spaces are oriented toward the lake while the public façade is almost entirely closed. In the living room, the high ceiling and large windows give a 270 degree view of the sky.
The interior spaces extend toward the landscape through generous terraces, pergola and screened porch, creating an ambiguity between interior and exterior spaces. The dark color of the exterior cladding provides a silence in the landscape and gives meaning to the surrounding natural environment, while the whiteness of the interior creates a bright and warm space that opens toward the lake.
