RIVER BAY LAKEHOUSE I

• Lot Size: approximately 5.52 acres

• Frontage: approximately 291 feet

• Available for Sale: Spring 2024

• Site Features: This lot is south facing with moderate terrain and is primarily forested with sugar maple.

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Nestled into a dense sugar maple forest in the Algonquin Highlands, this hillside lakehouse hovers above its naturally sloping terrain close to the water’s edge. Located in a quiet bay on Kawagama Lake, this woodland retreat sits lightly on its site and provides a unique tree-lined perch with expansive views out to the forest, sky, and water.  Three parallel concrete foundation walls are anchored to the shallow bedrock below and oriented to allow the site’s natural drainage and wind patterns to flow freely.

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A prefabricated 18cm thick mass timber structure called Cross Laminated Timber or CLT is the generative building element in the design. The CLT structure not only provides an innovative building solution but also a warm and robust interior finish.  The dark exterior material palette sits quietly in its surroundings and affords a contrasting backdrop for the lively colours of the forest. The interiors are composed of a warm, minimal palette of wood and stone which reinforce the connections of the building to its natural rugged setting.

 

A galvanized steel bridge, which connects the granite slab steps of the hillside, brings you across to the generously glazed front doorway where framed views of the forest and lake welcome your arrival. The living areas are organized around an elevated outdoor living room which is enclosed with a motorized screen wall.  Bedrooms flank either side of the shared common rooms providing a quieter and more intimate experience of the site. Expansive glass walls are used throughout the building to animate and warm the living spaces. These large openings provide a magical, powerful, and visual connection to the forest while bathing the interior in natural light.

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Builder:  Building Arts Developments

Structural: Blackwell

Photography: David Whittaker