A Glass House Framed By A Lush Forest And A Beautiful Lake

A lot is lost when structures are built on beautiful sites with wonderful views and they end up not making the most of their location. Taking full advantage of everything a site has to offer is difficult, especially when dealing with a lot of constraints and yet it’s not impossible, as proven by this wonderful glass house situated in the middle of a lush forest from Quebec, Canada.

The house was built in 2015 and was a project developed by architecture studio Daoust Lestage. It sits on the footprint of an existing cabin which means it had to stay within a predetermined area and to remain under 115 square meters.

The house is surrounded by greenery and tall trees, being immersed in nature and taking full advantage of this
The house is surrounded by greenery and tall trees, being immersed in nature and taking full advantage of this
The living spaces are surrounded by glass walls and doors with thin frames which obstruct the views as little as possible
The living spaces are surrounded by glass walls and doors with thin frames which obstruct the views as little as possible
The polished concrete floor transitions outside seamlessly, ensuring a fluid and continuous layout
The polished concrete floor transitions outside seamlessly, ensuring a fluid and continuous layout

The house was designed to resemble a transparent glass box with a cantilevered floor slab and a flat green roof that frame the interior spaces in a symmetrical and simplistic manner. The building sits on a gentle slope and is slightly elevated above the ground, featuring a floating floor slab which ensures minimal impact on the earth below. A set of stairs offers access from the terrace toward the valley and access to the main entrance is ensured by an elevated walkway.

The palette of colors, materials and finishes is simple and reduced to only a few options which places the focus on the views
The palette of colors, materials and finishes is simple and reduced to only a few options which places the focus on the views
The furniture doubles as space dividers, framing the spaces and delineating distinct functional zones
The furniture doubles as space dividers, framing the spaces and delineating distinct functional zones
A slender suspended walkway leads to the entrance to the side of the building
A slender suspended walkway leads to the entrance to the side of the building

A lot of these elements help the house connect with its surroundings and the views of the lake and forest. As far as the interior design is concerned, things are simple with a contemporary vibe. The house featured a polished concrete floor which makes the transition between spaces seamless, full-height windows that bring the outdoors in, this round columns and a wooden volume which contains all the mechanical and plumbing services, keeping everything out of sight and under a stylish shell.

A lack of solid walls meant that some furniture pieces had to be suspended from the ceiling, rather than wall-mounted
A lack of solid walls meant that some furniture pieces had to be suspended from the ceiling, rather than wall-mounted
The house floats above the ground which gives it a lightweight appearance and preserves the earth below
The house floats above the ground which gives it a lightweight appearance and preserves the earth below
The roof and the floor extend around the living spaces, forming a cantilevered terrace
The roof and the floor extend around the living spaces, forming a cantilevered terrace
All the mechanical and plumbing services are contained within a wooden volume, out of sight
All the mechanical and plumbing services are contained within a wooden volume, out of sight
A wide but lightweight-looking staircase descends from the terrace toward the valley
A wide but lightweight-looking staircase descends from the terrace toward the valley
The green roof helps the house blend into its surroundings, creating a nice connection with the forest
The green roof helps the house blend into its surroundings, creating a nice connection with the forest
The view of the lake is beautiful and creates a sense of peacefulness
The view of the lake is beautiful and creates a sense of peacefulness
The continuity between the indoor spaces and the terrace is a really nice design detail in tone with the minimalist architecture
The continuity between the indoor spaces and the terrace is a really nice design detail in tone with the minimalist architecture