Page 92 - Designing Ways 260

Rolo

Morin-Heights, Canada

n a natural setting at the limits of constructability, Rolo offers
a landscape approach to an architectural project. Located in
Ithe Laurentian region of Quebec, and situated on a steep slope,
the property is characterised by large, rocky outcrops and offers
clear views of the Laurentian horizon. Before the intervention, the
owners had created a variety of scattered and fragmented amenity
areas on site, linked together by winding hiking trails that skirt along
the steep cliffs of the mountainous terrain. Due to the organic and
temporary nature of these initial site uses, their specificity informed
the beginning of the project.

The conceptual premises of the project were therefore anchored to
these temporary occupancy structures that the owners had developed
over the years. Along the contours of a rocky plateau they already
occupied, the location of the residence was organised in a strategic
manner in order to maintain some of their existing "lifestyle". Rather
than dominating its surroundings, or reconfiguring its site, the
architecture was developed to observe the landscape and respect its
original state prior to the intervention.

In order to maintain the topography of the plateau, the project spaces
were divided into two volumes following axes that can be seen on the
site. This fragmentation made it possible to divide the programme
into two volumes: one housing the daytime functions, and the other
the night-time functions. A glazed passageway and open terrace unite
the two volumes, offering a breathtaking view of the horizon.

In its spatial conception, the project faours a vertical deployment as a
layering of plans that follow the programmatic fragmentation.

With this strategy, the footprint of the project was restricted, and
preserved the site's natural drainage structure, which is almost
unchanged today. Built using glue-laminated timber, the structure
allows for high ceilings and develops ‘’interior landscapes’’ whose

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