Tiered Residence In Harmony With Its Surroundings And Beautiful Views
Built in a beautiful rocky area, on the shore of a lake, the Estrade Residence is a large and magnificent family home that makes the most of its surroundings and location. The house was designed by MU Architecture, a studio that takes on every challenge with an enthusiastic attitude and that strongly believes that each project should be the result of the perfect harmony between dialogue and creativity.
The residence is located in Quebec, Canada and occupies an area of 3,600 square meters. It was completed in 2015. The strategy used by the architects was to try to highlight all the peculiarities of the site as best as possible instead of trying to diminish and eliminate or hide them. As a result, the house has a unique design that responds to the unusual rocky topography.
A staggered layout was chosen for the residence. This meant that it was designed with a multitude of terraces which have their own role. The terraces establish a strong dialogue between the interior spaces and their outdoor surroundings. They were also beautifully designed, featuring wooden floors that match those of the interior spaces. That means that there’s cohesion between the spaces and that the transition is smooth and almost seamless.
Large sliding glass doors also ensure a seamless transition between the interior living spaces and their adjacent terraces. In addition, they also bring in a lot of natural light and expose the wonderful views of the lake and the surrounding landscape. The rock garden designed with what was excavated from the site can also be seen and admired from indoors.
When designing the staircase, the architects wanted it to look lightweight and they achieved that by eliminating the columns that are usually part of the railings. As a result, these were made of glass and they stay transparent, exposing the treads and the space between them.
A double-sided fireplace acts as a divider between the living space and the kitchen and dining areas. Together, all of these spaces form an open floor plan. Each has its own design peculiarities and ambiance. The kitchen, for example, was designed with black ash furniture and an adjacent veranda.
The upper level is where the master bedroom is situated together with its private bathroom and large walk-in closet. Both the bedroom and the bathroom are exposed to the panoramic views.