30 October 2007

Sustainable Living in Canada

Local architecture meets Japanese design in green Beaver Lake cottage

Altius Architecture has been listed as a finalist in the 2007 ‘Green Toronto Awards’. Among other high profile projects, the Canadian firm is known for its sustainable living cottages, which are all custom designed to blend naturally into their respective landscapes.

Completed in early 2007, one of their most recent cottages to gain attention is situated on the shores of Beaver Lake in Ontario’s Kawartha Highlands region.

Having lived in Japan, the clients (now residing in the completed cottage) were eager to preserve the environmentally friendly lifestyle experienced in Asia. Altius’ architects responded by designing the cottage into two distinct masses, delineating public and private spheres. The finished result is an amalgamation of both regional architecture and Japanese design.

One mass stretches horizontally across the site and contains spaces for mingling and entertaining, while the other is vertically stacked and houses sleeping quarters and washrooms.

Granite was sourced locally while pre-finished pine and fir siding pay homage to Ontario’s material traditions and ensure the dwelling’s sensitivity to the surrounding landscape.

Altius Architecture
design@altius.net
altius.net