ESCARPMENT HOUSE I

ESCARPMENT HOUSE I

Set within a pastoral 25-acre site, high up on the Niagara Escarpment with extensive views to the east, is a modern stone house inspired by traditional European country villas, which connects its occupants (an extended grown family) with nature at every turn.

Conceived as an “outcropping of rock” commonly observed in the Mulmur hills, the building is placed 90° to the hill’s contours, running perpendicular to its sloping site, to best address the predominant views and solar orientation.

As the program for this house was substantial, the massing was broken down into visually manageable chunks, expressed as Wiarton stone building blocks of varying heights, stepping continuously in both plan and section. The building’s south facades are open and glazed, allowing warm sunshine to enter and heat the home, while the black zinc north facades remain closed, reducing winter cooling to a minimum – a perfect solar diagram. Intermixed with this, are thin black zinc horizontal projections for both roofs and balconies, all of which double as outdoor terraces.

Perpendicular to the villa and parallel to the site’s contours are numerous dry-stacked Wiarton stone retaining walls, which define a variety of outdoor programs (driveways, pool edges, walking paths and fire pit). Newly planted maple trees positioned parallel to these stone walls bring more greenery, shading and wind protection to this wide open, stunningly beautiful site.

LOCATION: Mulmur, Ontario

ARCHITECT: LINEVISION Architects

DESIGN LEADERSHIP: Michael Poitras,
Principal-in-Charge of Design

CLIENT: Withheld

STATISTICS:

  • No. of storeys: 4
  • Fourth floor area:
    1,750 ft2 (163 m2)
  • Third floor area:
    3,740 ft2 (348 m2)
  • Second floor area:
    7,675 ft2 (713 m2)
  • Ground floor area (finished):
    4,025 ft2 (374 m2)
  • Total floor area:
    17,190 ft2 (1,597 m2)

MATERIALS:

  • Dry-stacked Wiarton stone cladding
  • Black zinc exterior walls & fascia
  • Clear anodized aluminum curtain wall windows & doors
  • DensDeck soffits (white)
  • Dry-stacked Wiarton stone landscape walls
  • Glass guardrails
  • Concrete terraces
  • Grey Kelmar topping (balconies)
  • Green roofs

GENERAL PROGRAM:

  • Ground Floor:
    • Master bedroom + ensuite
    • Family room
    • Games room
    • Change rooms
    • Exercise room
    • Sauna
    • 2 fireplaces
    • Outdoor pool/deck
    • Landscaped terrace

  • Second Floor:
    • Open concept living/dining/sitting/kitchen
    • 2 fireplaces
    • Sports equipment room
    • 4-car garage

  • Third Floor:
    • Entrance foyer
    • Office
    • Library
    • Guest bedroom + ensuite
    • 1 fireplace
    • 2 outdoor decks

  • Fourth Floor:
    • 3 bedrooms + ensuites
    • Craft room/laundry room
    • 2 outdoor decks

LEED: Gold

COST: Withheld

COMPLETION: Project