London, Ontario

Hill Street Development

Recently featured in Elle Décor as one of “The 50 Most Beautiful Designed Houses in the World”, This summer house is set on the banks of Lake Huron in a private area just outside of Grand Bend, Ontario.

The site is a bluff occupying the transitional space between water and forest, rising 3.5m from road level and then dropping down to the water to create a grassy embankment. The building is set back on the property towards the street to preserve the natural bluff. On approach, the house is largely concealed by the surrounding mature fir trees, appearing as a simple light-coloured stone box floating effortlessly between the tree trunks. The rear of the house, facing Lake Huron, dissolves into a two-storey wall of glass washing natural light deep into the interiors.

Conceptually, the design consists of a series of stacked and suspended rectangular boxes, one embedding the building into the ground plane, the other suspended overhead to allow the living level to exist between the volumes. An indoor/outdoor volume to the south anchors the building and maximises the site’s lakeside views while allowing the living spaces to occupy the foreground. A bank of bedrooms projects backwards above the garage.

Project Scope:​

New Construction

Services Provided:

Full Architectural Services

Size:

15,800 sq. ft.

Construction Value:

Withheld

Location:

London, Ontario