Glass Walls Wrap a Prefab Boathouse on a Remote Ontario Lake

Building Arts Architects transported materials by barge to the rocky shore of Kawagama Lake, and erected the spectacular boathouse by hand.

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Lucy Wang

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When the opportunity rose to replace an old boathouse on the edge of Ontario’s Kawagama Lake, Toronto-based Building Arts Architects founders Jason Smirnis and David Jensen knew that they would have their work cut out for them.

Located roughly three hours north of their studio, the remote site is only accessible by boat, which meant that all systems, including the structure, had to be transported by a small watercraft and erected by hand. Ontario’s harsh winters also limited the construction season.

Set on a four-acre, moderately sloped, rocky site by the lake, the Kawagama Boathouse minimizes its site impact with small-diameter pier foundations and a natural material palette that blends the building into the surrounding forest.

"The site topography and the adjacent forest were protected and strongly influenced how this building engages the site," notes Smirnis, who designed the Kawagama Boathouse as a minimalist and modern, glass-and-steel structure. The two-story building features a dry slip boat storage with a marine railway and an outdoor deck on the lower level, along with a 452-square-foot living space with guest sleeping quarters above.

A short footbridge leads to the white, oak-and-glass front door of the upper living space. On the left is the small outdoor tap that uses pumped lake water.

After completing the design and securing municipal planning approval in the winter of 2016, the team dismantled the existing boathouse by hand the following spring. Heavy equipment was brought by barge to construct pier foundations on bedrock.

Due to the challenges of transporting materials, the architects reused as much of the lumber from the existing structure as possible. "The lower level of the boathouse was clad with wood siding salvaged from the existing structure," says Smirnis.

"On most days, from almost all vantage points, the boathouse reflects the forest or lake and is challenging to identify until you are immediately in front of it," says the firm. Pressure-treated SPF timber lines the outdoor deck.

The steel framing, windows and door systems, and custom millwork were prefabricated off-site and then transported to the property with a barge. The steel frame was erected in the fall, and rough carpentry was completed before winter 2017, by which time the project was put on hold until the lake ice had melted. The Kawagama boathouse was completed in phases across the spring and summer of 2018.

The facade is wrapped in custom-milled Douglas fir siding and punctuated with CommDoor black anodized aluminum windows. "We choose Douglas fir as our wood for the project for its warmth and ubiquitous heritage in Ontario cottage country," says Smirnis.

"The dwelling features are very basic, and the intent was to create a space which heightens the experience of living on the water through siting, view, sound and smell," says Smirnis. "Materials were primarily selected for both their aesthetics and their durability and performance in freeze/thaw conditions."

Walls of double-pane, tempered, laminated glass surround the upper living space furnished with Tolomeo lights by Artemide, vintage midcentury chairs, and a custom-made redwood burl table.

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Minimally decorated to keep focus on the outdoors, the glass-walled living space comprises a living area that faces the lake and two beds tucked behind custom Douglas fir shelving units fabricated in the studio’s Toronto woodshop.

"My favorite part of the project is the experience of the room and views to the lake," says Smirnis. "And, the ability of the structure to fade into the forest. On many days you cannot see the building from the trees."

A Regency wood-burning stove provides heating to the living space. The floors are tumbled Bluestone tiles.

To lend a sense of warmth and for privacy, the architects wrapped the bedroom area with walls of tongue-and-groove vertical grain Douglas fir that matches the ceiling.

Due to the boathouse’s proximity to the lake, the architects were not allowed to build a bathroom. An outhouse is located in the woods up the hill.

With the boathouse complete, the architects are focusing on renovating the main cottage on-site—located approximately 300 feet away—which will also be built of salvaged materials from the existing cabin and will include two prefabricated additions.