This expansive residence was designed for a retired couple looking for a summer home where their extended family could all gather and spend time together. Located in the harsh climate of the Northumberland Strait in Black Point, Nova Scotia, the architectural design pushes the limit of maritime vernacular seaside fishing and boat sheds. The building’s form is comprised of three geometric volumes which relate to programmatic function.
Project Name: Black Point Residence
Studio Name: Peter Braithwaite Studio
Project size: 5000 ft2
Building levels: 3
Location: Black Point, Canada
Photography: Yurii Suhov
One gable structure is dedicated to shared living spaces, and the second to sleeping and bathing. This organization can also be read as the dichotomy of prospect and refuge. The third volume is the program’s circulation, it skewers the two structures, creating indoor and outdoor connections between them. To orient the volumes, the forms are rotated at the intersection of their axis’s to optimize their views and sun exposure.
The building’s interior puts its structure on display with exposed steel portal frames and rough-sawn rafter. The interior materiality accentuates the building’s volumetric and programmatic organization by finishing the interior of the skewer with white-washed wood paneling, similar to how the skewer is uniquely clad with Corten steel paneling on the exterior.
To accommodate large family gatherings, the program includes an extra-large kitchen and dining table, a variety of seating areas, and multiple spaces dedicated to their grandchildren. At the culmination of the circulation axis, a fireplace anchors the building’s social activity within a dramatic cantilever. Furthering this concept, an outdoor fireplace acts as a secondary social anchor. The site’s landscaping is graded to create expansive walk-outs for the basement and main floor, creating secondary outdoor entertainment spaces and connecting the interior and exterior programs.
