A Family’s Retreat in Quebec Pulls Apart Cabin Conventions

"It looks like it was separated by a natural phenomenon," says architect Stéphane Rasselet of Naturehumaine, the firm behind this cabin set in the Eastern Townships of Quebec. The cabin’s two gable volumes would meet perfectly if pushed together. But between them is a six-foot-wide path, as if a glacier carved through a single elongated form.

Built for a family who resides in France most of the year, the timber-clad, 1,300-square-retreat is divided according to function. The larger volume acts like the main residence, with two bedrooms, a living area, and a dining area with a kitchen. The smaller volume contains a guest suite with a bed and bath, and a garage that serves as a workshop.

Naturehumaine sited the cabin as high as possible at the edge of a hilly lot. On the north side of the main volume, massive windows wrap around the corner, framing an abundance of greenery and views through the trees of Mount Orford, a national park with a ski resort.

A series of details further set the cabin apart from more conventional designs. There are no eaves, or roof projections of any kind, for example, making for a tidier look. Instead of mullions, the windows that wrap the cabin use silicone joints, making for a yet cleaner appearance. White ceilings and walls and diamond-polished concrete floors reinforce the "simplicity and purity of the space," explains Rasselet.

More from Naturehumaine:

This Snow-White Cabin Disappears Into a Wintry Lakeside

A Cathedral-Esque Lake Home Rises in the Quebec Countryside

Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Naturehumaine / @_naturehumaine

General Contractor: Constructions Boivin / @constructionsboivin

Structural Engineer: Geniex

Photographer: Ronan Mézière / @arm_ronan_meziere