FIELD HOUSE

FIELD HOUSE

The rural countryside of Mulmur, Ontario is known for its rolling landscape with extended views. This property, a 24-acre sloping site – formerly a farm field – is no exception. Bordered with forests on its southern and northern edges and sloping gently downwards from west to east, it offers an unparalleled view to the east, terminated at Barrie, Ontario, some 40 km away.

Without a doubt, this was a unique property, one which necessitated an architectural design that was equally unique. As such, we created four fundamental ideas for this house and its two accessory buildings, which ultimately formulated their architectural language.

(1) Organic Design
As we began to imagine how to respond to this beautiful rural property, we decided that a design based around nature would be the best way to ground the three buildings (house, garage/bunkie & office), forever connecting their architecture to this magnificent site. Not knowing where this concept approach would take us, nor having a pre-determined design aesthetic in mind, we began by looking at nature itself (roots, trees, eroded landscapes, et cetera). Curiously, what emerged from these observations was a common “segmented line”, like that of a segmented tree branch. Using this as a design tool, “organic” objects within the landscape began to evolve and take shape, establishing the basis for our architectural language.

(2) Pavilion Type
The clients, a couple with grown children, were fans of architecture, stating a preference for modern design and the “pavilion type” as exemplified by Mies van der Rohe’s “Neue Nationalgalerie” in Berlin. This building type, consisting of glazed walls and flat roofs, is well known in architectural circles, but from our perspective, lacked the spatial hierarchy that is critical to a house’s design, as every room was essentially the same height.

Knowing this, we began to combine the “segmented line” concept with the “pavilion type”. What resulted was a refined pavilion type that had both flat and sloped roofs. As such, taller-volume living spaces were arranged below the flat roofs, while lower-volume private spaces were located below the sloping roofs, which created a clear hierarchy of rooms.

(3) Rocks
In the early stages of design, we walked the site many times, slowly becoming familiar with its many idiosyncrasies. One observation we made was that the property’s edges (south & north) were filled with rocks and boulders, all of which had been removed from this former farm field. This act of removal, although practical to the farmer and his many years of cultivating, struck us somehow as a “wrong” in that those rocks were inherently part of this site and should never have been removed. With this in mind and the fact that this property is now being used as a residence, we decided to “bring back the rocks”, making their re-appearance part of our landscape design and more importantly, part of our architecture.

(4) Materials & Colours
Right from the outset, it was decided that this house was not going to be the cliché “white modern pavilion” set in the countryside, but one which would make a deeper, more heartfelt connection with its site and neighbouring context. With that in mind, we began looking at local barns, ultimately deciding to incorporate three of their essential ingredients: rough concrete, barn board and the colour red.

However, an observation made while once again walking the site, would further embellish our three selected ingredients. Early one spring morning, we noticed the grassy field filled with red-winged black birds, chirping incessantly. The birds’ colouring – all black, with patches of red and yellow – struck us as being part of the context to which we wanted to connect. As such, we added black and yellow to the house’s material and colour list.

Thus, this modern house, in its final form, incorporates rough concrete, barn board, along with various other materials that showcase a shade of black, with red and yellow accents.

Site Composition
With our four fundamental ideas in place, we began to look at how to position the three building pavilions on the site. From a practical standpoint, it was decided that the garage/bunkie – the “arrival pavilion”- be placed between the house and the office. This arrangement of pavilions defines a hierarchy of buildings, with the house being the most private, at the hill’s lowest end (east) and the office being the most public, at the top (west) and closest to the road.

Additionally, by stepping the three pavilions down the hill and allowing enough space between them, each pavilion is afforded an uninterrupted view of the descending countryside, far off to the east. Further, with each pavilion being positioned lower than the next, these views take place above the red roofs of the pavilion below, adding colour and architecture to the “grand view”.

With the office being the only pavilion truly visible from the adjacent country road, we have protected the “grand view” for all to enjoy. Whether one is driving along the road or walking the neighbouring property directly west, the view remains unobstructed.

Connecting the three building pavilions to one another is a series of shallow stone steps, protected with an overhead canopy. These covered walkways allow for ease of movement between pavilions, especially at night, as they are artificially illuminated from soffit pot lights. Romantically speaking, these covered walkways can be understood as a most “civilized” architectural gesture, much like walking one’s companion to their car on a rainy day, while sheltering them with an umbrella.

LOCATION: Mulmur, Ontario

ARCHITECT: LINEVISION Architects

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

CLIENT: Withheld

STATISTICS:

  • House:
    • No. of storeys: 2
    • Ground & Second floor areas:
      2,915 ft2 (271 m2)
    • Basement floor area (finished):
      1,050 ft2 (98 m2)
    • Total floor area:
      3,965 ft2 (369 m2)

  • Garage/Bunkie:
    • No. of storeys: 1
    • Total floor area (bunkie):
      405 ft2 (38 m2)

  • Office:
    • No. of storeys: 1
    • Ground floor area:
      950 ft2 (88 m2)
    • Basement floor area (finished):
      330 ft2 (31 m2)
    • Total floor area:
      1,280 ft2 (119 m2)

MATERIALS:

  • Vertical barn-board wood siding (recycled)
  • Vertical pre-finished metal plank cladding (black)
  • Black curtain wall windows & doors
  • Pre-finished metal chimneys & mailbox (yellow)
  • Pre-finished metal fascias & flashing (dark grey)
  • Pre-finished standing seam metal roofing (black)
  • Modified bitumen roofing (red)
  • Prodema soffits (oak)
  • DensDeck soffits (white)
  • Composite wood decking (red)
  • Outdoor landscaping + rocks

GENERAL PROGRAM:

  • House:
    • Open concept living/dining/kitchen
    • Master bedroom/bookshelf + ensuite
    • Guest bedroom + ensuite
    • Office/guestroom (second floor)
    • Family room (basement)
    • Exercise room (basement)
    • 2 fireplaces
    • 1 washroom
    • Outdoor barbecue area

  • Garage/Bunkie:
    • Bunkie (queen-sized bunk beds) + ensuite
    • Sauna
    • 3-car garage
    • Firewood storage wall
    • Outdoor swimming pool (south of bunkie)

  • Office:
    • Drafting space
    • Private office
    • 1 washroom
    • Storage wall
    • Office files + storage (basement)

COST: Withheld

COMPLETION:

  • House 2026
  • Office 2027
  • Garage/Bunkie 2028