Laurentian lookout
A PLACE WHERE THE VIEW IS THE MAIN EVENT, WRITES MARTHA UNIACKE BREEN
From the wide bay window of this spectacular chalet perched on a Laurentian mountainside 2,435 feet above sea level, the view stretches a clear 100 kilometres over woods, lakes, and the distant blue humps of mountains.
This visual treasure practically compelled principal architect Andrew Curtis, of the Montreal firm Robitaille Curtis, to make the view the main event.
Less than two hours from Montreal, in the heart of Quebec’s ski country, the chalet is a stone’s throw f rom Mont Garceau, the second- highest peak in the region; Mont Tremblant is just 20 minutes down the highway. There’s plenty of skiing and snowshoeing in winter, and in summer, Lac Archambault is at the foot of the hill, for boating and swimming.
The clients, an active and very social family with two school- age children, wanted an open, modern but cozy retreat equally comfortable for the couple and their kids, as well as for welcoming friends and extended family. Even before they bought the property, Curtis says, they invited him and partner Sophie Robitaille to walk the area with them and help choose the perfect site.
“We visited several lots in the vicinity — by snowshoe, in some cases—to help them find precisely the right combination of views, privacy and access. You don’t always have the chance to do that, so it was a real privilege. And ultimately, the view became the prime driver of the entire design.”
Of course, building a house on a nearly 45- degree slope presents a few challenges you don’t generally face on level ground. Early in the planning stages, the idea was conceived to raise the chalet several feet above t he grade on pilotis, or sturdy pilings.
“With t hat steep of a slope, you’re dealing with a l ot of snow in winter, and in the spring, moving water run- off,” he explains. “So the idea of building the house into the hill and forcing water to divert around it would have been highly risky. This way, it doesn’t interrupt the natural flow of water, and allows the natural vegetation of the mountainside to grow beneath.”
Practicalities aside, the pilotis give the whole struct ure an almost birdlike lightness and grace, producing a floating, almost airborne effect; the chalet feels as if it’s right in the centre of the view, rather than merely facing it.
Fr o m t he dri v e , you approach al ong a wide cedar- plank bridge to the front door, where a handily placed ski rack allows visitors to hang up skis and snowshoes before entering. Dark- stained Eastern white cedar cladding, under a metal roof that slopes at the same angle as the hillside, harmonizes it all with the dark silhouettes of the surrounding conifers.
Past a short entry foyer of heated slate tiles equipped with benches — the better to shed snowy ski clothes — you turn into the open- plan main living area and the view, in Curtis’s words, simply “explodes.” You’re faced with a long bank of glass, minimally interrupted by structural supports and walls, which runs the full width of the chalet, giving an astonishing view.
Opposite the kitchen, it becomes a bay window with bench seating. Two corresponding bump- outs on the opposite, mountainside wall, expand the interior width while keeping the actual footprint of the house to a slim 14 feet. “For every foot you go out, you have to raise the downside pilotis a foot to correspond, so this was a practicality as well,” he confides.
The clients are avid and convivial cooks; the cooktop was inset into the large central island, with its American cherry countertop, allowing the cook to face out on the view or chat with friends while working. A white expanse of cupboards and shelves conceals a wealth of storage, along with niceties like a hidden bar area.
WE VISITED SEVERAL LOTS IN THE VICINITY — BY SNOWSHOE, IN SOME CASES — TO HELP THEM FIND PRECISELY THE RIGHT COMBINATION OF VIEWS, PRIVACY AND ACCESS. YOU DON’T ALWAYS HAVE THE CHANCE TO DO THAT. — ARCHITECT ANDREW CURTIS, ROBITAILLE CURTIS IT’S MODERN IN DESIGN, BUT IT’S ALSO VERY COZY.
High above, along, ribbonlike clerestory runs on the inner side almost to the far corner, where a cozy sectional sofa faces the stone fireplace, set within a full wall of glass, the top edge of which follows the roof slant and offers another vantage point on that incredible view.
“The windows have the effect of making it sunny all day long, changing as the sun moves across the sky,” Curtis observes.
The master suite is the only bedroom on the main level. The massive chalet window continues into the bedroom, where furnishings are kept to a minimum through clever built-ins.
In true chalet style, the space is warmed by a variety of different woods throughout the interior. Ceilings and outside eaves (serving to blur the transition from indoors to out) are made of Western red cedar strip, with its natural variation in tones from pale to deep reddish brown. The kitchen island counter top and the open shelving, spaced along the perimeter, are American cherry, a richly coloured, long- wearing species that is a particular favourite of Curtis’s.
The floors are grey- tinted ash, another rugged wood, which bridges the tonal contrast between the natural wood and white walls. And in the foyer and the entrance to the lower level, roughhewn planks of butternut add a note of unpretentious informality.
On the lower level, which features its own virtually unbroken expanse of view, are the kids’ rooms.
One features a big bunk bed with plenty of stor age and room to play and read, whether alone or with friends.
The other has a cosy, cedar-lined alcove with a stellar view of the mountains and a bed, above built- in drawers.
This level also has a guest suite and a sybaritic steam and spa area with glass doors leading to an outdoor hot tub, which is also accessible from exterior steps.
“The site was fairly challenging, so the efficiency of the design works well; we set out to integrate it with the mountainside location, and it paid off,” says Curtis. “It’s modern in design, but it’s also very cozy, the way a chalet should be.
“But mainly, it’s quite a thrill to be there. It’s a wonderful place to just be.”
WE SET OUT TO INTEGRATE IT WITH THE MOUNTAINSIDE LOCATION, AND IT PAID OFF. IT’S MODERN IN DESIGN, BUT IT’S ALSO VERY COZY, THE WAY A CHALET SHOULD BE. BUT MAINLY, IT’S QUITE A THRILL TO BE THERE. IT’S A WONDERFUL PLACE TO JUST BE. — ARCHITECT ANDREW CURTIS