Chalet La Petite Soeur

Very close to Lake Ouareau and the town of Saint-Donat, in Quebec, Canada, stands a charming traditional house, on a white background, coloured by birch trees and snow, when the harsh winter blankets the landscape. The owners, a large, dynamic family with several children, wanted to add a large space to the house, in which the children could play and the family could gather and relax.

The project was given to the firm ACDF Architecture, which designed an addition that, in size, resembles the existing house. The extension preserves and pays tribute to the historic house, reflecting the beauty of the place. Almost floating over the garden, a glass bridge connects the two buildings, wide enough so that, from one side and the other, you can see spaces of one house and of the other (the kitchen of the old house and the living room of the new building) and so that you can stop en route, to appreciate the landscape outdoors through the transparency of the glass.
The new space – a white prism on a concrete pedestal – looks like a refined version of the existing house, maintaining a connection with the original building and its location. The sheet metal roof and the wooden cladding bring to mind the smooth, shiny bark of the birch trees and the blanket of snow, just as the shades and textures also refer to the whitewashed walls of the rustic barns of the region.
On the ground floor, an open space and large windows enable stunning views over the lake. Polished concrete floors and natural wood detailing are used with simplicity, emphasising the richness of materials. Surrounded by black wooden slats, the central fireplace creates a relaxing and comfortable ambiance in the large living room. The architects designed the new master bedroom on the lower level, which enjoys plenty of natural light thanks to the downward topography of the land.
Named Chalet La Petite Soeur, this new space gives the owners a place to enjoy each other’s company and the landscape.

A white prism on a concrete pedestal.