Sylvan Lake House

This second home occupies a narrow lot on a large, recreational lake midway between Calgary and Edmonton in Alberta, Canada. The house comprises simple masses with spatial intersections that create a complex interior environment, all focused on the lake. A mute opacity on the inland side provides privacy and intimacy, while the lake side opens to generous views and exterior spaces. Glass curtain walls and decks extend the indoor surfaces outside (from the main living spaces, the lake is all one sees through floor to ceiling glass). Indoor porosity continues vertically through shafts connecting floors to provide a counterpoint to the monolithic stacked-box appearance of the exterior.

Material selections are kept at a minimum, maintaining the prominence of the lake and surrounding woods. Structural silicon-glazed curtain walls with hidden frames punctuate black-stained cedar walls allowing the smooth glass to be flush with the wood. Exterior walkable surfaces are clad with a light Accoya wood matching the bleached White Oak interior floors. Interior walls, recessed curtain wall frames, and integrated cabinetry are white and accented with hot-rolled steel surfaces (stair, kitchen, and main bedroom) and a few moments of unexpected color. Furniture and artwork were selected with input from the Architect. Environmental systems include a super-insulated building envelope, triple-pane glass, in-floor radiant heating, ducted forced-air cooling, and recessed or coved LED lighting.