Some old, some new; parts preserved and parts modified; an atypical expansion that revives an entity fading into obsoletion. Such is the language of this ranch-style house built in 1970, now rehabilitated to accommodate a couple of art enthusiasts and their extended families.

The Hovey Residence, a renovation project by architecture and design firm 1628, is perched on the edge of a lake in Quebec’s Eastern Townships region. Modifications and expansions over the years had rendered the old house obsolete and in some spaces, barely usable. With this canvas as the origin, the architects work with the needs of the new owners, adding additional spaces and amenities where necessary. The residential design makes it an observation platform; a cantilevered footbridge, the highest point of the home, projects visitors into the landscape. An atypical geometry donned in a hybrid material palette becomes the renewed visage of the house. “It was important to work with the existing building, to highlight its strengths, while overcoming its shortcomings, to create a coherent and unique whole," says Annie Charest, designer and Vice-president of 1628.

1628, founded in Canada by François Parenteau and Annie Charest in 1998, has produced an oeuvre in the fields of architecture, design and garden design. Their creative interventions span institutional, residential, commercial and industrial sectors. The firm parallely devotes resources towards research and development, aspiring to evolve constantly. Exploring versatile avenues, the firm has participated in projects both locally and internationally.

When beginning work on the site, the steep slope and local regulations limited the possibilities of expansion. The architects resorted to augmenting the highest point of the site, to ensure optimisation of the site and its views of the lake. Despite the series of additions made to the old building, the modified volume refrains from coming off as too massive on the street side. The main extension was separated from the existing structure, creating an image of two buildings. However, on the lower level, the extension is connected through an internal corridor. On the lakeside, retaining walls made of ecological concrete were built to support the expansion—also responding to the wooden retaining walls preserved at the base of the original house.

The residential architecture is composed of two volumes enrobed in wood cladding, a traditional material of the region. When viewed from the street, the structure does not reveal its scale owing to the visual barrier that the strategic volumes create. On the ground level, the two units are connected via a covered wooden sidewalk acting as both a promenade and an observation platform, terminating in a cantilever directed towards the lake. On the lower level, this connection is achieved through a glass corridor positioned under the promenade. While many terraces and balconies emphasise the horizontality of the exterior shell, the sloping roof, rotated slightly, breaks the linearity. The house is also equipped with roof terraces and a green roof. The external concrete staircase runs along the retaining walls and facilitates circulation, connecting the terraces of the lower level to the land on the lakeside.

The evolution of the site is guided by the theme of the promenade. Native plants, most present in the immediate environment of the project, find their place on the site. A well-thought web of paths and stairs runs through the site, including a hemlock boardwalk that bridges the house and the lake where the dock is placed. Each of these pathways is accentuated using a range of lighting designs. Furthermore, one finds two secondary pavilions amidst the landscape design, one housing a covered terrace while the other is used for storing canoes and kayaks.

The original wing continues to be the main access to the house, encompassing the main living spaces on the ground floor along with a master suite and an office. In terms of creative interventions, the designers opened up the spaces for the living rooms and reworked the existing cathedral ceiling. The original fieldstone fireplace is modified and steel frames are inserted into the stone cladding of the fireplace to create windows revealing the original stones. The living rooms open into a large balcony terrace. The lower level of the old wing can be accessed via a central interior staircase. Completely redesigned to be more welcoming, the floor includes guest rooms, sanitary areas and technical spaces. Under the main balcony, an extension harbours an indoor spa, a space for relaxation overlooking the landscape.

The new extension, bridged internally to the original structure, features a garage and a second master suite with captivating views on the lower level. These areas are supplemented by a large wooden terrace with an outdoor fireplace. On the ground floor, an office space echoes the language of the main living spades through the cathedral-style ceilings. The room is adorned with large windows, the space visually floating above the landscape. An attached balcony completes the office space. “Our goal with this project was to create unique places that stand out. Each space, each room, each exterior point of view had to provoke an experience for visitors," shares François Parenteau, architect and president of 1628. "The house and the site had to reveal themselves in an unexpected way, depending on the routes taken. Each place had to be part of a coherent whole while respecting the expectations and lifestyle of the owners."

The interior design utilises a limited set of finishes that runs uniformly throughout. The floors are made of Canadian white oak, the walls are gypsum and the ceilings are painted white. The wall panels, built-in furniture design, and some doors are made of natural maple. The integrated furnishings are all designed by 1628 in a minimal and timeless style. Discreet and sophisticated lighting aids in achieving a calm ambience.

The joint decision of the owners and the architects to retain the old house, even if not necessarily economically advantageous, is a step that reduced the project's carbon footprint significantly. Low e-thermos glazing, renewed insulation, usage of hydroelectricity and eco-friendly concrete buttress the efforts towards sustainability. With the effort to retain as strong as the intention to create, 1628’s thoughtful interventions culminate in a design cradled in the comfort of familiarity and the excitement of novelty.

Project Details

Name: Hovey Residence
Location: Quebec, Canada
Architecture, interior design and garden design: 1628 inc.
Project team: Annie Charest and François Parenteau
Area: 5490 sq.ft.