Clear Lake, Seguin Township, Ontario

Project Size: 2,320 square feet

Program: A Toronto family of five wanted to replace their 800-square-foot, poorly insulated, tin-roof cabin dating to the 1950s with a four-season house to accommodate extended family and guests. The clients requested a modern design'with clean lines and plenty of natural light'that also captured the rugged character of the site.

Location: The double-lot property'located on Clear Lake in Seguin Township, Ontario'has dense woods to the west and faces a lake to the east. Built on a sheet of exposed bedrock in the woods, the house sits on the same plot as the original structure to minimize the disturbance to the trees on the property.

Solution: Inspired by the idea of a tent on a campsite, the architects covered the steel- and wood-frame structure with a pitched roof. The north and east facades are lined with oversized, operable windows and screens for cross ventilation, while the south and west facades are mostly opaque'clad in black corrugated metal'to screen the harsh afternoon sun.

Visitors enter the house from the north, where the dock and more public activities are located. The interior is organized into three distinct units' communal living spaces, bedrooms, and master suite'which unfold from north to south. (Bedrooms point west toward the woods, while living areas and the master suite face east toward the lake.) Above the mud room, a small loft is used as an extra bedroom.

Construction methods: Reduced cement content concrete foundation walls and slab-on-grade polished concrete floors create thermal mass heat sinks for energy conservation. Energy consumption is further reduced through a heat recovery unit, high-efficiency boiler, and wood stove.

Architect:
Maclennan Jaunkalns Miller Architects
202-19 Duncan Street
Toronto, Ontario M5H 3H1
t. 416 593 6796
f. 416 593 0212

People

Architect:
Maclennan Jaunkalns Miller Architects
202-19 duncan street
toronto ontario m5h 3h1
t. 416 593 6796
f. 416 593 0212

Personnel in architect's firm who should receive special credit:
Ted Watson, partner in charge, RA
Olga Pushkar
Lukasz Kos
Kyung Sun Hur
Jason Wah
Dan Kronby, RA
Jay Lim

Interior designer:
Maclennan Jaunkalns Miller Architects

Engineer(s):
Structural:
Blackwell Parntership Ltd.

Civil:
CF Crozier and Asssociates

HVAC:
V&P Enterprises

Consultant(s):
Landscape:
Hall Construction Inc.

Lighting:
Maclennan Jaunkalns Miller Architects

Other:
Septic Design: Wes Finch and Sons

General contractor:
Wilson Project Management

CAD system, project management, or other software used:
AutoCAD 2010, Rhino

 

Products

Structural system
Steel and wood frame on cast in place concrete foundation

Exterior cladding
Metal Panels:
22mm (7/8') Pre-finished Corrugated Metal Cladding

Wood:
exposed douglas fir roof framing

Moisture barrier:
Typar House Wrap

Other cladding unique to this project:
Insulation: Blown In Blanket Insulation (B.I.B.S.)

Roofing
Metal:
22mm (7/8') Pre-finished Corrugated Metal Cladding
on 2 layers of Pressure Treated 1x3 roof purlins
on Grace Ice &Water Shield HT

Other:
Insulation: Blown In Blanket Insulation (B.I.B.S.)

Windows
Wood frame:
Radiant City Millwork

Metal frame:
Radiant City Millwork

Glazing
Glass:
Trulite

Skylights:
Velux

Insulated-panel or plastic glazing:
Aurlite FRP by Vicwest roof panels

Other:
Millwork: DCL Woodworking Ltd
Algonquin Limestone countertops and sinks: StoneGroup
Concrete Finishing: John Millar

Doors
Wood doors:
Douglas fir Veneer

Sliding doors:
'Lift and Slides' by Radiant City Millwork

Hardware
Locksets:
door handles: Colombo gira handles

Pulls:
custom door pulls

Other special hardware:
Tectus door hinges at interiors

Interior finishes
Cabinetwork and custom woodwork:
douglas fir veneer plywood

Paneling:
douglas fir plywood, dark stained engineered oak plywood 'box' cladding

Special interior finishes unique to this project:
Ceiling: douglas fir plywood

Lighting
Interior ambient lighting:
Custom kitchen island light fixture: Lighting Nelson & Garrett
Dining light fixture: Bocci

Task lighting:
Bedroom task lamps: Lim C from Haworth Collection

Exterior:
Sistemalux Minizip LED uplights

Dimming System or other lighting controls:
Lutron Dimming System

Plumbing
Toto Aquia II Dual Flush Toilets

Energy
Energy management or building automation system:
Temperature sensor in-floor radiant heating
LED and compact fluorescent lighting

Other unique products that contribute to sustainability:
Skylight ventilation
Natural Daylight
Natural Ventilation with operable sliding window and screens
Electric fans by The Modern Fan Co.
Woodburn fireplaces by St'v