two steel black cabins form striking quebec chalet by appareil architecture

located deep in the woods of quebec, canadian design firm appareil architecture has built a pair of light-filled cabins, both clad in corrugated steel and painted black. each cabin is linked together by a cedar decking, raised above the forest floor.

images courtesy of appareil architecture

chalet grand-pic aims to create a warm space, for friends and family, where residents can breath fresh air while enjoying a rustic pathway, after parking on the periphery. the objective was ‘to let ourselves be guided and inspired by the terrain’s characteristics‘, explain appareil architecture. the decking offers a space for the cabin’s dwellers to entertain while a dock-like pathway runs around to the ancillary building.

in contrast to the building’s exterior, the inside of the larger cabin is characterized by a light-filled structural core covered in russian plywood. the interior is organised according to this feature, with kitchen cabinets and countertops coloured white, while the sink faucet, bar stools, and dining chairs are all black. ‘the wood’s texture on all walls and ceilings of the interior envelope allows the shape of the vernacular-inspired main interior volume to be accentuated‘, adds the practice. 

a living room is furnished with a large grey sofa and a wood-burning fireplace in front of large panel windows. upstairs the plywood core acts as a sleeping unit with two beds, or ‘a dormitory zone for guests’. there is also a private bedroom and detached bathroom on the second floor as well. across from the main residence is a smaller, single-storey cabin with a matching exterior. the unit serves as additional storage space, with a more private outdoor deck.