Fascinated by the cliff-side land of the Charlevoix region, a family took on the challenge of building a house there without cutting down a single tree. The Atelier Carle has thought up a habitat for them, guided by a route on six plateaus. An approach on the border between architecture and artistic performance.
Updated at 12:00 p.m.
From the top of this rocky cape overlooking Baie-Saint-Paul, the glittering river on the horizon draws the eye. This point of view immediately captured the heart of Julie, who happily reflects on the ballet of the tides every day. “We can sometimes walk to Baie-Saint-Paul at low tide,” she says.
The dizzying slope, granite bottom and closely monitored seismic activity in the Charlevoix region didn’t dampen his enthusiasm. Ditto for the municipal ban on cutting down trees in the forest where his home would take root. For this exceptional project, she turned to Atelier Carle, which has several residences in the area in its portfolio.
PHOTO JAMES BRITTAIN PROVIDED BY ATELIER CARLE
Inconspicuous from the street, the house can be discovered through a small entrance on the left. The other wing houses a garage and a guest studio.
Architect Alain Carle pushes formal considerations to the background to focus on the very special nature of the country. He imagines an architecture that follows a predefined path on the ground. “It was an almost physical logic, a physical relationship with the territory,” observes the founder of Atelier Carle.
Life in this steep space is represented diagonally by six floors connected by stairs leading to terraces.
The entire project was designed to incorporate a course into the cliff along the length of the building. We wanted as much as possible to give the impression that we had a level floor at the edge of the house.
The architect Alain Carle
PHOTO JAMES BRITTAIN PROVIDED BY ATELIER CARLE
A staircase leads from the mezzanine entrance to the living room and lounge a few steps down.
PHOTO JAMES BRITTAIN PROVIDED BY ATELIER CARLE
The house has four fireplaces. The family likes to gather in front of the one in the living room.
PHOTO JAMES BRITTAIN PROVIDED BY ATELIER CARLE
The fireplace installed on the terrace on the living room side is also used on cool days as the cliff protects it from the wind.
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highlands
To give shape to the Capo project and reflect its direction, Atelier Carle does not hesitate to shake up traditional domestic codes. A labyrinth of stairs and secret passages runs through the interior. The layout and orientation of the rooms offer views of the surrounding nature, from the majestic river to the discreet undergrowth.
PHOTO JAMES BRITTAIN PROVIDED BY ATELIER CARLE
The living room has a triple ceiling height. The stairs lead to the entrance of the house.
PHOTO JAMES BRITTAIN PROVIDED BY ATELIER CARLE
Corner windows offer another view of the forest that borders the house.
PHOTO JAMES BRITTAIN PROVIDED BY ATELIER CARLE
The master bedroom floor has been raised to prevent the balcony railing from blocking the river view.
PHOTO JAMES BRITTAIN PROVIDED BY ATELIER CARLE
The wooden doors in the couple’s bathroom have no handles so as not to catch the eye
PHOTO JAMES BRITTAIN PROVIDED BY ATELIER CARLE
The main bathroom with a direct view of the cliff eliminates the need for any blinds.
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Access to the house is via a narrow mezzanine that leads to a large living room. The family has been experimenting with a new lifestyle there for four years. Every day she uses a wood-fired oven in the kitchen area to bake bread, pizza or meat from local producers. “I didn’t want traditional cuisine. It’s festive when we receive in the evening. Everyone gathers around the stove,” says Julie, who occasionally hosts her daughter Anne-Sophie’s ice hockey team, whose bedroom has been converted into a dormitory three floors down.
Glass doors in the living room lead onto a sheltered woodland-side terrace where a fireplace heats the air when required. “It was important to create outdoor spaces that can be used,” emphasizes Alain Carle. Thanks to a smooth transition between the different levels of the house, only the couple’s bedroom balcony was fitted with a railing. The smooth concrete floor of the room has been raised slightly so that the view can freely roam over the horizon. Gardens, jacuzzi and terraces follow each other below.
There is even a boule pitch on the surface of the septic tank near the river. “It’s a place we like to enjoy with friends and neighbors. The land is perfectly aligned. At 4 p.m., for an aperitif, the sun is there,” says Julie.
PHOTO JAMES BRITTAIN PROVIDED BY ATELIER CARLE
Several windows in the house frame views like paintings.
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Given the many challenges this project posed, the owner decided to manage the site herself. She even got to work, pouring the concrete, installing the heating system and even the wooden panels for the walls and stairs.
The house, built directly on the rock with insulating formwork and chemical anchoring, follows the topography of the cape to ensure better resilience in the event of an earthquake. Although the site was sometimes dangerous due to the nature of the terrain and the respect shown for the trees that stand on it, Julie has no regrets about her decision. “I wanted to build our house. This work has helped to make life there more pleasant,” she emphasizes.