Situated near Lake Memphremagog in Quebec, Canada, House Lachance was created by Montreal-based ACDF Architecture at the behest of clients who wanted a home that expressed a balanced lifestyle, using simple technologies and low-maintenance materials. Openness and limited physical boundaries were a strong focus, with the starting point for the architecture defined by the beauty of the immediate landscape. The surrounding fence is redefined as a continuous wood band, enveloping the living spaces by modulating the open spaces of the house. Local hemlock wood makes up the main material used as the building material, though stone masses at both ends of the house firmly anchors the dwelling to the ground. There isn’t a traditional HVAC system, and instead variations in the wood band act as a semi-transparent screen in the summer, while the polished stone that covers the entire ground level acts as thermal mass. Through the extensive use of natural materials, the house is intended to slowly blend in with the surrounding natural environment.
