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Project Details:

Location: Newfoundland, Canada

Architect: Reflect Architecture / @reflectarchitecture

Footprint: 1,975 square feet

Photographer: Julian Parkinson / @julianparkinson

From the Architect: “The Burdens Point Residence is a sensitive renovation of two historic homes—the Burden and Dunn houses—and an accompanying shed in Salvage, Newfoundland. Designed by Reflect Architecture for a Toronto-based real-estate agent and her family, the residence carefully evolves the region’s architectural vernacular to accommodate the client’s lifestyle and give the aging houses new life.

“The seasonal residence, accessed only by boat or foot, features prominently in Salvage, a historic fishing village of 108 people. The home is sited on a peninsula between the town center and the North Atlantic Ocean. Because of the houses’ location and history, it was essential to client and architect that the design remain rooted in the local context and minimize impact on townspeople’s views.

“Significant portions of both houses were renovated, while new elements, materials, and details were used sparingly. White exterior siding was replaced and galvanized steel roofs—a durable response to the harsh environment—were introduced in place of tar asphalt shingles. Across both elevations, windows are traditionally scaled and spaced. Defined by its simple rectangular volumes and gabled roofs, the Burdens Point residence appears much like it has for the past century from afar.

“Nuanced architectural interventions begin to reveal themselves when inspected from close. Instead of tinkering with massing or form, Reflect used exterior detailing to hint at how the pair of historic houses have been updated. Projecting window boxes, for example, frame windows on both structures. While such detailing is not historic, it preserves traditional elevations while creating new visual interest by casting long shadows across surfaces. Exterior lighting is similarly used as a light-touch method for establishing a sense of drama.

“Lined mostly with white shiplap, the interiors of both houses explore the common ground between crisp, contemporary design and the simplicity and honesty of traditional Newfoundland homebuilding. The Burden House (which was electrified after a century off-grid) reused interior framing and cladding wherever possible. Its floors were patched and painted. The more damaged Dunn House required extensive interior renovations, with interior cladding replaced.

“Plans were informed by the orientation and circulation of historic Newfoundland homes, although carefully adapted to meet the client’s lifestyle. Living, dining, and cooking spaces are located on the ground levels. The Burden House contains a large kitchen and dining space. The smaller Dunn House contains a TV and recreation area with a galley-style kitchen and dining space. Both kitchens are constructed of Baltic birch plywood and butcher block to reference the type of materials and fabrication methods available locally.

"Bedrooms are located on the residence’s second stories where ceilings were gently raised to establish livable heights. In the Burden House, a primary suite with a large bedroom and bathroom overlooks the ocean. The Dunn House contains a pair of bedrooms and a bathroom.

“To realize the residence’s purpose as a container from the elements, color blocking emerged as an efficient tool for delineating spaces and comforting inhabitants. This is most notable in the Dunn House’s two bedrooms, where orange and green spread across floors, ceilings, walls, beds, and lighting fixtures. The immersive use of color functions as a contemporary stand-in for the wallpaper found in traditional Newfoundland homes. The rooms’ built-in platform beds and lamps are inspired by the berths of a ship.”

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