Chandos Lookout
In 2016, after years of maintaining their old Pan-Abode cottage, the owners of this Kawartha Lakes property finally decided it was time to replace it and build new. They loved the cottage and especially its position on the top of a hill with a panoramic view across Chandos Lake. They toyed with the idea of selling and finding a property with fewer steps to the water but ultimately could not give up their spectacular view. (There are close to 100 steps down).
Charged with the task of coming up with a new design that would maximize their views while using the footprint of the old cottage, Altius’s team embraced the challenge and worked closely with the owners for over a year before starting construction. Construction started in the fall of 2019 and finished just over a year later (the pace of construction had been slowed by the pandemic). They expanded the deck the following year, having decided that they did in fact need more outdoor space.
One of the owners grew up in a mid-century modern home in Peterborough designed by Eberhard Zeidler (of Ontario Place and Toronto Eaton Centre fame) and as such, they had a keen interest in design. They wanted a home with similar qualities: brick feature walls, a corner fireplace, and lots of wood on the floors and ceilings with spaces that flow from inside to out. They also loved the idea of being perched on the edge of the cliff, with cantilevered volumes and floor-to-ceiling glass.