coryn kempster + julia jamrozik's wooden clad 'sky house' settles utterly in stony lake

coryn kempster and julia kamrozik’s ‘sky house’ project is a holiday home set in ontario, canada and consists of two volumes stacked one on top of the another. the lower volume nestles into the landscape so that it is barely visible as one first approaches the house. the upper volume rests atop the lower one and above a concrete pier to form both a bridge and a cantilever. this massing strategy allows for increased access and permeability of the site and emphasizes the charged relationship between the building and the ground.

the ‘sky house’ project is a holiday home set in ontario, canada
image by doublespace photography

canadian designers coryn kempster and julia kamrozik place the living spaces on the upper volume, opening up towards the lake, while the lower volume is more enclosed and houses bedrooms. responding to the need for accessibility for guests with disabilities, as well as thinking in the clients’ ability to use the building far into the future, a study/bedroom and accessible bathroom are provided on the main level. the roof of the lower bar becomes a terrace allowing elevated views and a direct connection to the living spaces.

the lower volume nestles into the landscape so that it is barely visible as one first approaches the house

the factory-inspired skylights are rotated to admit north light without heat gain while orienting the solar panels due south so the house can generate all of its own power. the combination of vertical skylights and a fully glazed south-facing facade result in a generously daylit interior. a covered walkway shades the main wall of glass from summer sun while admitting lower winter sun to passively heat the dark-dyed concrete floor.

this massing strategy allows for increased access and permeability of the site

coryn kempster and julia kamrozik use simple, low-maintenance, long-life materials on the facade, including a reflective standing seam metal roof and a lapped heat-treated  wood cladding, while the interior is lined with formaldehyde-free plywood. playful elements are placed throughout from a glazed brick socle for the wood stove, to scattered colorful coat-hooks and a custom undercroft swing-bench.

simple, low-maintenance, long-life materials on the facade, including lapped heat-treated  wood cladding

the living spaces on the upper volume, opening up towards the lake

 
the factory-inspired skylights are rotated to admit north light without heat gain

site plan

upper level plan

     
lower level plan

section

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edited by: apostolos costarangos | designboom