RUSTY METAL HOUSE

RUSTY METAL HOUSE

The concept of this rural home was to take a familiar rural agrarian form and tailor its design to deal with the predominantly windy conditions of the site, while providing an accessible exterior roof deck, from which to enjoy long, uninterrupted views across the countryside.

As this house was for an older couple with grown children who typically visit only on weekends, we took advantage of the children’s underutilized bedrooms and placed them on the house’s windy west side. These bedrooms, aligned with the family room (another underutilized room except for weekends), buffer the cooling effect of wind (convective cooling) keeping the house warmer, especially on cold winter nights. Simultaneously, the heating of these rooms would be automatically lowered throughout the week, saving on winter operating costs.

The primary living spaces (kitchen/dining/living/master bedroom) are located on the house’s less windy east side, the side with the “big view”. At the center of the house both physically and socially, is the “country kitchen,” which is illuminated by a series of circular overhead skylights. The living room, perfectly square at 30’ x 30’ (10m x 10m) is best suited for both indoor and outdoor entertaining, with retractable sliding doors that can fully open, inviting in long country views.

To enhance the experience of enjoying these spectacular extended views, an outdoor exterior rooftop living space was created that is accessed via a rusty metal exterior stair on the house’s north side. This roof space has a terrace complete with an outdoor fireplace, a large barbecue, an ornamental grass garden and a rooftop washroom. Protecting the terraces from direct sun are two large trees, which are planted on the roof, creating a perfect spot for a daytime picnic. By night, this same outdoor living space is naturally illuminated by the fireplace, encouraging social activities to carry on late into the evening.

The design of the house took its inspiration from the everyday simplicity of rusty metal agrarian barns, typically found in the countryside. Here, the familiar form of the barn has been manipulated with a more angular architectural language, resulting in an exterior form that feels simultaneously familiar and unfamiliar.

LOCATION: Mulmur, Ontario

ARCHITECT: LINEVISION Architects

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

CLIENT: Withheld

STATISTICS:

  • No. of storeys: 1
  • Total floor area:
    4,500 ft2 (418 m2)

MATERIALS:

  • Rusty metal wall cladding & roof (weathering steel)
  • Board formed concrete
  • Black curtain wall windows & doors
  • Composite wood decking (grey)
  • Glass guardrails
  • Ornamental grasses

GENERAL PROGRAM:

  • Open concept living/dining/kitchen
  • Family room/library
  • Master bedroom + ensuite
  • 3 guest bedrooms + ensuites
  • Office
  • Sauna
  • 1 washroom
  • 2 fireplaces
  • Rooftop deck/barbecue area/garden/washroom
  • Detached 4-car garage
    (separate building)

COST: Withheld

COMPLETION: Project