On a wooded lot on the shore of Canada’s Charlebois Lake, the clients wanted to build a contemporary house that was open to nature.

An L shape plan was chosen by architects Paul Bernier Architecte for the house, with one wing reserved for the day spaces (kitchen, dining room, living room) and the other the more private spaces (master bedroom, bathroom, washing).

The shape of the home also allows for a sunny outside space, hidden from the view of the neighbour and open towards the access to the lake.

At the meeting point of the two wings, the architects designed a two-story space that houses a garage on the ground floor and a guest bedroom and office on the first floor. The latter enjoys a strategic position overlooking the lake.

On the outside, this part of the house is clearly distinguished from the L shape by its materiality: it is covered with weathering steel, which has already taken on its orange colour, while the volume in the L part of the house is sided with black dyed cedar.

Inside, this distinction between the different spaces is felt by the introduction of a staircase with cantilevered steps made of walnut that allows access to the upper floor.

Photography by James Brittain