Project Team: Brian MacKay-Lyons, Niall Savage, Trevor Davies, Talbot Sweetapple
Structural: Campbell Comeau Engineering Limited
Builder: Andrew Watts
Photographs: James Steeves
The modest house is a 12 foot wide, 110 foot long wall playing a didactic role within both the natural and cultural landscapes. It sits on a four acre field surrounded by the sea on three sides. Its ‘rough-and-ready’ wrapper is in keeping with the dog-patch-like cultural landscape context. The exterior skin is standard, industrial, corrugated galvalume. The top-of-concrete line of the foundation is raised, expressing the relatively high cost of getting out of the ground in cold climates and forming a horizontal datum against the opposing slopes of land and roof. A heavy, concrete stair bump is a protective gesture against the prevailing westerly winds coming off of the sea.
The monolithic, monopitch roof climbs to the south and the water covering one continuous, unobstructed living space progressing from garage, to entry court, to kitchen, living and cantilevered deck. This tube is punctuated by totemic elements which inflect it and provide comfort and place-making (bridge, well, hearth, truss, south window). The spatial reading of the concrete foundation makes a wainscoting sill in the main living area. Three bedrooms occupy the lower level, while a master bedroom/study occupies a second floor loft. Delaminated walls and ceiling expose conventional platform framing. The house exploits a passive environmental approach to heating and ventilation.
