In Potton, Canada, a project by the studio EM architecture was realised. Hidden in the woods, the house appears to be the ideal place to spend long winter evenings in.Completedin 2023, the building is a country house that does not attempt to dominate its surroundings. Instead, it grows out of it naturally, as if it has always belonged to the landscape. Here, architects Emilie Bédard and Maria Rosa Di Ioia propose an architecture that is quiet, precise and deeply rooted in a place where light, materials and topography drive the narrative.
The project was realised on a wooded, sloping plot of land whose character is largely defined by the stream flowing at its foot. It was the terrain that became the first and most important determinant of the design decisions. The house consists of two blocks with pitched roofs that gently follow the natural slope of the ground and instinctively turn towards the water. The location was chosen with extreme care to preserve the most valuable mature trees and to reinforce the organic relationship between architecture and landscape. Large glazings open up the interiors to uninterrupted views, while stone terraces seamlessly extend the living space outwards, allowing residents to live in the rhythm of the surrounding nature.
The massing of the house draws on the archetypes of local rural buildings, evoking the silhouettes of ancient barns. The austere wooden facades juxtaposed with the metal roof create a subtle dialogue with the architecture of the ancestors, but the sharp lines, proportions and elaborate details clearly place the project in the present day. The two parts are linked by a lightweight, covered link, which organises the entrance and storage functions while tying the whole into a harmonious arrangement.
In the centre of the house is a vertical shaft clad with boards, which organises the communication and concentrates the functional functions: it is here that the toilet, the staircase and the discreet pantry hidden behind the kitchen are located. This treatment keeps the elevations free, allowing maximum openness to the landscape and a seamless flow of space. The central core also introduces subtle moments of privacy that enrich the interior experience.
One of the most distinctive areas of the house is the veranda – a bright, glazed space overhanging the forest and stream. It is an area that acts as a natural extension of the living room, but at the same time provides a separate retreat. The changing landscape becomes a daily spectacle here, and the interior invites you to stop, observe and immerse yourself in your surroundings at any time of the year.
The interiors of Chalet du ruisseau reflect the personality of the owners and their love of mid-century design. Iconic furniture, soft textures and carefully chosen compositions create an atmosphere that is at once elegant and casual, refined but not studied. It is a space where design does not dominate, but interacts with everyday life. Beautiful!
design: EM architecture
photos: Raphaël Thibodeau
source: v2com
Also read: single-family house | Canada | wood | summerhouse | whiteMAD on Instagram
