Cabin on the Cliff
A Lookout : a place with an elevated observation point, a place from which to keep watch or view the landscape.
Location
Ontario, Canada
Size
180 m²
Category
Residential
Scope
Architectural Design.
This house is the outset for a young family of three embarking on an adventure where they flee the urban life and settle within the forests of Leeds and the Thousand Islands, and on the banks of Gananoque Lake.
The house locates it self in a narrow valley between two cliff sides which posed a number of challenges in terms of accessibility and proper positioning for a clear view of the lake.
Having the main floor at the bottom of the valley would mean getting the lake view fully obstructed by the cliff, instead, a walkout basement is placed there instead which gives the main floor a higher elevation for a clear view and better accessibility.
The floor plan is layered in a way that builds up an exciting transition in experience, from dark to light , from solid walls to semi open and fully open, from the front door cliff view to the outstanding lake view.
As part of the experience, a viewing deck crowns the roof top where the father and his son can fly drones together with some night time of stargazing.