La Barque Residence nestled in northern landscapes

Inspired by the Nordic landscape and a love of nature, La Barque is a peaceful family retreat located on the shore of Lake Ouareau in Saint-Donat, Canada.
Guests are welcomed by a serene atmosphere enclosed in the calm of the surrounding hills, between the ski slopes and water skiing.

The architecture influenced by the local style features a curved roof reminiscent of a boat hull.
The side of the house facing the road has a dislocated façade to maintain privacy, and extends to become an exterior wall that hides a barbecue and a wood-burning oven. The opposite side, on the other hand, faces the lake and opens to the outside environment.
The well-designed and positioned openings emphasise the sensation of nature that invades the interior of the house and pervades guests entering through the main entrance.

The exterior of the house recalls the shape of a prism, made of dark wood, resting on mineral soil. However, the interior reveals a surprising delicacy. The curved wooden ceiling looks almost like a hand-carved work, a simple but decisive design that unfolds throughout the space.
Through the raised parts of the ceiling positioned at opposite ends of the structure and the curvatures of the space, natural light shines through the whole interior of the house.
The entrance is on the upper floor of the building, where the kitchen, dining room and two bedrooms are located. Downstairs there is a family room, two children’s rooms and a sauna.
Under the rising curve of the roof is a terrace, where you can relax in front of the lake landscape.

La Barque is a little piece of paradise where one can take refuge and contemplate nature in all its beauty.

The architecture was designed by the Montreal-based firm ACDF, which in recent years has experienced a steady rise in the fields of commercial, residential, hospitality and interior design.
Under the direction of Maxime-Alexis Frappier, Joan Renaud and Etienne Laplante Courchesne, the firm manages to maintain high levels of quality, and a design capacity characterised by unusual details and juxtapositions of materials.
In addition to receiving more than 30 awards, ACDF was awarded the 2010 Canadian Governor General’s Award, and was most recently titled “Architect of the Year in Canada” by the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada.

Info at www.acdf.ca