The other white house takes a different angle
Nook room inspires name of custom house tucked into a slope overlooking a lake
From the street, Nook House gives away no secrets — its façade neutral and unrevealing. But its south-facing visage is anything but plain, its origami-like structure offering a stunning view of Lake Memphremagog in the beautiful Eastern Townships of Quebec.
Strategically placed windows and a private little room that rests between the first and second levels of the house allow the family of four to gaze upon the stunning scenery in both summer and winter.
Measuring 3,000 square feet, Nook House takes its name from one room: a small nook located just a few steps down from the kitchen area, hanging over the property. On the second floor there’s the carport, living room, dining room, kitchen and the nook area — the kitchen, nook and dining areas all at different angles. On the lower garden level, there are the two large bedrooms, a dorm room, mechanical room and storage area.
Materials used in the $650,000 home, completed in 2015, include polished concrete, radiant floors, walnut furniture, black ceramic tiles, cedar ceilings and white pine cladding for the exterior walls.
The home is painted white to stand out in the summer and to blend with the snowy landscape in the winter. A plastic net borders the staircase between the first and second floors, a whimsical touch for the home’s children. Architects have also used reclaimed boards to cast the concrete so the print of the wood appears on the concrete, especially designed to create a feeling of warmth in the house.
Architects Jean-Sébastien Herr and Charles Côté, MU Architecture, answer a few questions about their design: What was your inspiration for the house?
Côté: The concept of the site actually came from the constraints of the site. It was on a deep slope and the view had to be looking over the lake, so we came up with an angled house. The house had to be embedded on the site. What challenges did you face? Côté: The site is actually very steep and the municipality wouldn’t let us build on a slope steeper than 15 per cent. There was only a small part of the slope where we could actually fit the house. The site was also covered with trees. Several times we had to send a surveyor to check out the topography because where we were allowed to build the house was very narrow. Did you design the house with sunlight in mind?
Côté: With the slope, we realized some of the views were different at different heights.
When you look at the house from the lake, it’s like a folded ribbon, all the angles connect. We wanted to get the views and to get maximum sunlight, so the living room faces south.
Herr: We have harsh winters, so we want to make sure the house benefits from as much direct light as possible, especially during the winter.
All the windows are positioned to maximize light and for natural ventilation.
Côté: We wanted to create a contrast between the inside and the outside of the house — the outside, which is completely white, and the interior, which has cedar inside and walnut cabinetry.
It’s so you feel like you’re in a nook, a much cosier place.