Carling Residence

ON, Canada

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Carling Residence

ON, Canada

Firm

TACT Architecture

Type

Residential › Private House

STATUS

Built

YEAR

2012

SIZE

1000 sqft - 3000 sqft

The Carling Residence is the private year-round home for a young couple that relocated from the city to the country. The house is located on the shores of Georgian Bay. The clients wanted the design of the home to be “a part of the terrain” of their 26-acre lot, to be connected to the surroundings, to be sustainable, and to be a comfortable modern home.

The house is carefully set within the woods providing views to the bay through a natural screen of trees. It is set between ridges of rock to the east and west on a flat of land that optimized the preservation of the landscape and allowed the house to nestle into the natural topography. The understated low profile of the northern elevation yields to framed views of the natural surroundings once inside. The main corridor features glazing at each end yielding views to the stone ridges beyond, while the magnificent windows of the living room and master bedroom frame the view of the spectacular wilderness. The minimalist-inspired interiors complement the rugged surroundings, making the landscape an integral part of the design. The use of natural materials such as stone wood and concrete contribute to the soul the house possesses.

The design demands little of the site and its resources. Placing the residence within the trees, with minimal east/west glazing and a large trellised overhang above the window of the south façade optimizes the homes solar gain and day lighting. The high-quality building envelope features ICF walls and a spray-foam insulated roof to ensure a comfortable interior climate. The home is heated by a zoned radiant floor system via a high-efficiency boiler feed by a HRV system. This system is located within the concrete floor slab, which naturally serves as a heat sink in the winter months and helps keep the home cool during the summer. The house does not have nor require an air conditioning unit for cooling. Both the south and north windows are operable, permitting natural cross ventilation. Materials were optimally used, balancing environmental and design impacts afforded to the client. The presided budget was used as carefully as the spatial qualities were manipulated.

Though the house is a new insertion into a pristine landscape, the design feels as though it has always been a part of it, a timeless piece of design.