SHIFT COTTAGE | superkül

On the edge of a Precambrian granite island, the cottage is nestled into the rock and against a line of trees, taking full advantage of the site’s natural beauty and its protection from the often extreme weather. In form and material the cottage is determined by its landscape of water, rock and sky. Its graphic lines contrast and highlight those of the wind-shaped trees and the washed granite; the massing of the cottage mimics that of the rock formations in which it sits. A glass walkway links the cottage’s two volumes. The living spaces are closest to the shore; bedrooms are against the trees. Window openings are aligned throughout to allow views to the trees behind and the water in front. A cedar deck folds down to meet the rock. In keeping with the family’s inter-generational stewardship of the island, the cottage was designed to tread lightly on the land. Sited in a natural clearing, no trees were removed to make the site and pier foundations obviated any blasting. The cottage is passively lit, ventilated and cooled, and the use of local and natural materials left largely in their unfinished states leaves a smaller footprint. recognition 2009 OAA Award of Design Excellence 2009 Design Exchange Award 2008 WoodWORKS! Design Award