Located in Georgian Bays Shawanaga Inlet near Pointe au Baril, this wonderful modernist take on the vernacular shed cottage landed it on the cover of Cottage Life Magazine. 

This spectacular, iconic Canadian landscape has been dotted with humble cottages for more than a century and summer residents pride themselves on maintaining very understated summer homes.

This particular design uses the natural Canadian Shield to create a split-level design featuring a two-storey volume containing bedrooms and bathrooms adjacent to a glass pavilion that houses the principal living areas.

To resist Georgian Bay's ferocious winds, Altius’ architects devised a simple timber frame with concealed steel knife plates and an ingenious space frame truss across the back similar to the arm of a crane.  This allowed for the walls to be 100% glass without a heavy steel frame or substantial shear walls.  For the owners, this means a living space that allows them to enjoy a panoramic view of the landscape 24/7.   

Rising through the middle of the pavilion is a simple, raw concrete block fireplace that is double-sided to both the living room and the exterior deck, allowing the owners to enjoy the outdoors a bit more in the shoulder seasons.