Molly’s Cabin by AGATHOM
Toronto, Canada based AGATHOM Architects have sent us their Molly’s Cabin project.
From AGATHOM:
Three and a half hours north of Toronto, is Pointe au Baril, a remote archipelago in Georgian Bay on a cusp of the Canadian shield – a large area of exposed Precambrian rock.
Eight miles from the marina, on a 2.8-acre island is a private seasonal retreat for a multigenerational family. The aim of the project was to balance comfort with the bare necessities so that its inhabitants live lightly on the land and fully engage with their surroundings.
Visit AGATHOM Architects website – here.
Photo Credits: Michael Awad and Paul Orenstein
From AGATHOM:
The 1,000 square foot cabin consists of a bedroom, a living room with a library nook, a kitchen/dining room and a small loft that can serve as a drawing-studio, library, playroom or supplementary bedroom. Although open in plan, the L-shaped design facilitates both privacy and interaction. Wooden decks and bridges extend the interior to the outdoors. While modernist architectural ideals are at work, the design is a playful reinterpretation of the humble architectural vernacular found on these islands.
The cabin fits snugly against the boulders and is sited close to the edge of the water. Shielded behind a large rock and a signature tree, there are multiple views of the fast-changing weather from under the shelter of the tent-like flaps.
Topped by a broad shingled asphalt roof and constructed from recovered timbers, the cabin is anchored by a Rumford fireplace that makes use of local stone. The building is designed with plenty of dual function: exposed rafters provide additional storage, a dining-room cabinet doubles as an outdoor tool shed and the library windows roll open to convert the interior into a breezeway.
Solar panels power a pump that draws fresh water from the lake. Fuel for the stove, fridge and lamps are supplied by propane or lamp oil. On the other side of the island there is an outhouse with a composting toilet and two older sleeping bunkies.
Molly’s cabin is familiar, experimental, respectful and assertive. The design challenges the current tendency in the area for extravagant architectural statements, creating a solution that is inventive and sustainable.
Visit AGATHOM Architects website – here.
Andrew Menil on 27 Jan 2009 at 8:49 pm #
Very nice. I hope the lake doesn’t flood though.
Martin Karlsson on 28 Jan 2009 at 1:32 am #
great house! I like all the angles a lot.
reminds me of scandinavian design.
Dan on 28 Jan 2009 at 10:50 am #
I’ve been on the bay on the cruise and probably gone past this retreat – georgeous area! And the water levels are relatively stable.
LaFarge on 28 Jan 2009 at 12:34 pm #
This cabin appears very inefficient. Not well insulated for this area. Sewage must be deposited in the lake. To bad this family chose to ruin the natural setting with their private retreat. The cabin does have an interesting design.
Erik on 28 Jan 2009 at 3:21 pm #
Its beautiful, even the drafting looks great!
Andrew Menil on 28 Jan 2009 at 7:39 pm #
LaFarge,
In my experience, people only go to these cabins in the summer, so no need for insulation.
Also, if you had read the description, you would see that “there is an outhouse with a composting toilet,” so sewage is not simply “deposited in the lake,” it is turned into compost.
Ben on 29 Jan 2009 at 3:28 am #
A beautiful place, I bet it was a pain to get the materials there to build it! Too bad if you forget your hammer!
paolo on 30 Jan 2009 at 7:26 am #
These houses appacionate persons like me.They axprimes liberty and warm.I’d like to live in a house like this!So much light but with a little sporadic easy spaces.Very good!
butters on 05 Feb 2009 at 12:27 pm #
oh nice, oh so nice. i want to visit and stay forever…
Michael on 06 Feb 2009 at 1:45 am #
How do people get the planning permission to build on a pristine evironment?
Josh on 07 Feb 2009 at 9:37 am #
why do you care about the location or it’s surroundings. what do you think the land around the new york area looked before we came along. or how about the majestic and beautiful mountain we decided to disfigure with the faces of “our founding forefathers” what a bunch of garbage. the house is beautiful and if i ever come across a perfect setting for my dream home i’ll build until my heart is content. you probably pollute more in a week than this house would ever so mind’ya damn business. they probably built there to make sure people like us wouldn’t bother them anymore. beautiful house, beautiful setting…good on yas! peace
McGahon on 07 Feb 2009 at 10:52 am #
Stunning. A very beautiful house and location. Very sympathetic to the environment.
rawan on 07 Feb 2009 at 11:26 am #
Its so beutifull , i wonder if theres som houses the same as this one in sweden.
Love it
rawan
Joachim on 08 Feb 2009 at 3:28 am #
No, I agree that it’s not of this century anymore.
It’s not because people have done it in the past – exploring and colonizing the outback, living of hunting and fishing – that it gives us the right to build houses (mostly second homes) anywhere we think our heart tells us to do.
But a nice design – though could be better. Have the feeling the surroundings add a little bit too much to the appreciation of the house.
Matt on 08 Feb 2009 at 8:45 am #
I have to agree that this design is nice inside, but outside it has nothing to do with it’s surroundings. It’s an odd wooden wart on that rock island for all to see. Too bad.
kmwd on 09 Feb 2009 at 11:46 am #
Being familiar with the area I have to say the design is humble compared to the monstrosities found on beautiful Canadian lakes. The respect the owners and builders have for the natural surroundings are admirable. Just the sustainability alone wins points.
Kim on 09 Feb 2009 at 1:34 pm #
What a way to live. Simplicity is the way to go. Beautiful!
John Osburn on 09 Feb 2009 at 2:51 pm #
Elegant sensitive design, lives lightly on the rock, clean clear detailing, exciting roof shapes. This will be a treasure for the people that live in it and own it.
Refreshing to see hand drawn elevations.
Well done.
John on 10 Feb 2009 at 2:19 pm #
It has all the ingredients for life on a lake with minimum alterations to the landscape.
I like it a little more than my own summer camp/cabin also on two lakes in the wilderness of Maine. Mine however was built in 1880 and will remain as it was originally built.
With the composting toilet and upgrade, and lake water for drinking.
A very beautiful location.
Scott Alexander on 11 Feb 2009 at 10:19 am #
Wow, this looks like an arsonist’s dream. I hope they’ve got a big pump connected to that lake!
dorela on 12 Feb 2009 at 6:57 am #
great house, I want to live there…!
Benjamin on 13 Feb 2009 at 10:57 am #
This cottage is located on Georgian Bay which is a large body of water attached to Lake Huron. The water levels on Georgian Bay are extremely stable, and some of the most beautiful in the world. I grew up in this area and in my opinion there is no better place to build a beautiful cabin like this.
Most people who build in this area only use their cottages in the summer although there are some that are fully winterized. This property would be boat access only and so during the winter they would need to snowmobile there.
I am beyond jealous of the owners of this property.
Peter Christopher in Costa Rica on 13 Feb 2009 at 3:14 pm #
This is absolutely gorgeous.
Pam on 19 Feb 2009 at 10:35 pm #
Definitely a summer home only, I would say..aside from apparently no insulation and all that glass, the toilet is on the other side of the island! You can see already the wind blowing the deck chair seats..can you imagine being there when it was -20, 2 feet of snow and windy, hiking in the middle of the night to the outhouse? I wonder why they didn’t put a composting toilet in the house. They are pretty sophisticated beasts now, and anyone who could afford to build this house could afford a good one. Still, it is a very attractive house. I love the fireplace, even if it does seem to be without doors and therefore rather inefficient (where do they get the wood for it?) The location is fantastic.
Shai on 16 Mar 2009 at 7:16 am #
Beautiful interior.. goes to show dont judge a book by its cover.. I’ve been caught out by this too many times… nice use of pine interior angles…
Reebok on 31 Mar 2009 at 2:06 pm #
Work showing beautiful mountain we decided to disfigure with the faces of “our founding forefathers” what a bunch of garbage. the house is beautiful and if i ever come across a perfect setting for my dream home i’ll build until my heart is content
Nancy Hardy-Banting on 18 Jun 2009 at 9:23 am #
Dear Adam:
I was so pleased to have seen your mum’s cabin in Canadian Home and Garden. I have lost contact with you and Duncan, Deb and I have offened wondered what happened to you. So nice to see the wonderful work that you are doing. I would love to talk to you and I would love to have one of your designs – I always wanted one of your dad’s. Take care, Nancy
Lewis UK on 24 Jan 2010 at 2:37 pm #
This is one of the nicest buildings ive ever seen. I like the use of wood, the angles, but most of all I love the way it integrates with the surrounding. Nice!
I know im pretty young but id say this is my favourite building.
How long did it take to build?
Adam Thom on 27 Nov 2010 at 6:53 pm #
Nancy Hardy-Banting.
Get in touch! Great to see your name hidden in there! You can reach me thru our website (agathom.com)
Look forward!