Paul Bernier Architecte

House on Lac Charlebois

House on Lac Charlebois
© James Brittain

HOUSE ON LAC CHARLEBOIS

Paul Bernier Architecte

MANUFACTURERS
Alumilex

GENERAL CONSTRUCTOR
Construction Metric

LEAD ARCHITECTS
Paul Bernier

COLLABORATORS
Alexandre Bernier

PHOTOGRAPHS
James Brittain

AREA
2700 Ft²

YEAR
2015

LOCATION
Sainte-marguerite-du-lac-masson, Canada

CATEGORY
Houses, House Interiors

Text description provided by architect.

On a wooded lot on the shore of Lake Charlebois, our clients wanted to build a contemporary house, luminous and open to the nature.

House on Lac Charlebois
© James Brittain
House on Lac Charlebois
© James Brittain

They wanted most of the spaces of the house to be level with the land.

The terrain is slightly sloping. During a first visit to the site, a perimeter was established to identify the ideal location. 

The privileged view towards the lake and the south coincide, which guided the orientation of the building.

House on Lac Charlebois
© James Brittain
House on Lac Charlebois
© James Brittain
House on Lac Charlebois
© James Brittain

THE "L" SHAPE PLAN

An "L" shape plan was chosen for the house. In the "L" plan, a wing is reserved for the day spaces (kitchen, dining room, living room) and the other wing houses the more private spaces (master bedroom, bathroom, washing).

We're always close to the windows.

The "L" plan also defines a sunny outside space, hidden from the view of the neighbor and open towards the access to the lake.

House on Lac Charlebois
© James Brittain
House on Lac Charlebois
© James Brittain
House on Lac Charlebois
© James Brittain

Besides, it is also in this space that we have laid out a screened porch to enjoy the summer evenings.

THE TWO-STOREY VOLUME

At the meeting of the 2 wings of the "L", we created a volume on 2 floors. On the ground floor there is a garage and the upstairs houses a guest bedroom and an office which enjoys a strategic position overlooking the lake and also with a view down the ground floor.

House on Lac Charlebois
© James Brittain
House on Lac Charlebois
© James Brittain

On the outside, this two-storey volume is clearly distinguished from the "L" shape volume by its materiality. 

It is covered with Corten steel (weathering steel) which has already taken its orange color, while the volume in "L" on one floor is sided with black dyed cedar.

House on Lac Charlebois
© James Brittain
House on Lac Charlebois
© James Brittain

Inside, too, this distinction is felt by a double-height space between the 2-storey volume and the one-storey space. A staircase with cantilevered step made of walnut allows access to the upper floor.


House on Lac Charlebois
© James Brittain
House on Lac Charlebois
© James Brittain
House on Lac Charlebois
© James Brittain
House on Lac Charlebois
© James Brittain
House on Lac Charlebois
© James Brittain
House on Lac Charlebois
© James Brittain
House on Lac Charlebois
© James Brittain


House on Lac Charlebois
First floor plan
House on Lac Charlebois
Second floor plan 

Paul Bernier Architecte
T +1 514 3033001
Paul Bernier Architecte
4755 Rue Pontiac, Montréal, QC H2J 2T4, Canada