Kariouk Associates builds a lakeside retreat for all seasons in Val-des-Monts, Quebec.
Designed to last through several generations of one family, the vacation home maximizes its connection to the surrounding landscape. The low-lying structure, conceived by architect Paul duBellet Kariouk, is set atop Quebec’s Gatineau Hills.
Two rectangular volumes connected in the middle by a slender and tall box make up the home. One wing is designated for the kitchen, living and dining areas and extends to an outdoor terrace, while the opposite houses the master and guest bedroom as well as a bathroom. In the connecting box, and above the entrance foyer, the owner’s daughter has carved out her own space in a loft with wood-clad curved walls.
The pièce de resistance is the foyer’s ceiling. Etched with landscapes, copper and zinc printing plates that once belonged to the owner’s print-maker friend are interspersed with steel plates to create a quilt-like aesthetic. Each plate can be removed so the family and their guests can add their own engraving, creating a record of the home’s past. It is in this small yet significant gesture that the house develops a pedigree to be cherished by future generations.
