Page 87 - Designing Ways 266

View of house entry and courtyard from Farm Road

View of bench nook at house entry
Virgin Vineyard House

North Hatley, Canada

ituated between an old logging road and a working hillside
vineyard, the Virgin Vineyard House derives its name from
Sa farm whose ruins once stood above the site. The client was
interested in building a new residence on the land, with minimal
disturbance to the vineyard, that would capture views overlooking
Lake Massawippi in Quebec's Eastern Townships. The new building
will house the client and provide the ability for her to age in place, as
well as to accommodate her daughter’s growing family.

The design of the project draws inspiration from the prevalence
of fieldstone walls in the local agricultural landscape. Gathered
stones start as a landscape feature separating the house from the
road, ultimately comprising the north wall of the building. The
architectural element is but a secondary feature clipped on to this
stone wall, sheltering the living spaces from the road, the northerly
winds, and discreetly tucking them into the hillside. The length of the
wall enacts the sequence throughout the house, punctuated as it is by
compositional events of window, chimney, entry, and courtyard. The
south side of this long linear residence is open to lake and vineyard
views under a large protective overhang.

This 155’ long house conveniently organises the private bedrooms at
either end, while the central gathering spaces convene in the middle
of the linear house. The walls dividing each room are purposefully
rotated for views facing the lake. This simple geometrical twist
creates an oblique relationship between the rooms and the roof ridge
line, making the rooms feel like private sheds, each with its unique
volume directed towards the lake. In plan, the rooms are arranged

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