Rougeaud Residence

Typology
Residential

Status
Completed

Location
Mont-Blanc, Quebec, Canada

Photo credit
Maxime Bourgault & Josée Marino

Located in the Laurentians, this residence creates a visual interplay between landscape and architecture.

Its design is a response to the topography of the site. Nestled in vegetation, the residence can be seen from the access road. Calm and restorative, it acts as a sanctuary. Its balanced composition engages mindfully with the landscape. In an effort to reinterpret Quebec's vernacular architecture, the architects drew inspiration from the simple form of the traditional house, with a gabled roof resting on a rectangular volume. Here, this volume is divided into three entities, offering two clear visual openings towards the lake. The limited palette of materials highlights the simplicity of the building.

Between the garage and the main entrance, a first gap forms a covered passageway from which the lake below can be glimpsed. Inside, the peripheral circulation axis promotes fluid movement through the space. As the residence unfolds, the openings become larger, creating the illusion that the common areas extend onto the third volume’s covered terrace. The location of the foyer tempers the hustle and bustle of the kitchen and dining room, while preserving the tranquility of the living room.

In contrast to the upper floor, the garden level is designed as a single volume housing the retreat areas, whose darker tones create an enveloping setting that inspires calm. The openings punctuating the rooms let nature pour into the intimacy of the space. Carefully picked, the raw, organic, and elegant materials work as a continuation of the natural environment, where shades change throughout the day; light dances across surfaces, revealing nature’s movements through the interplay of light and shadow.