MUSKOKA BOATHOUSE jennifer mcglynn / michael gillette / maria milkova
This two story building in Muskoka, Ontario will accommodate boats, guests and numerous water activities at a lakeside cottage property. Muskoka is a place where generations of families, boats, crystal water, granite outcrops, white pines, cedar trees, and simple wooden structures all share a common space at the water’s edge. The design seeks to not only fulfill this program, but also to restore architectural dignity and variety to this wonderful region that has recently become overwhelmed by expensive cookie-cutter pastiches. The new boathouse draws inspiration from the lightness and simplicity that once characterized local buildings here, with locally cut softwood and hardwood lumber. The building design is conceived as a way to inspire, challenge and engage local builders in the craft aspects of their work, as a tangible alternative to the increasing standardization of synthetic and proprietary building systems. We want to create a building that tells a story, over many generations, about the joy of life on the lake in this magical place.
WHAT WE LOVE ABOUT THIS PROJECT
Incredible Landscape / Traditional Culture / New Ideas / Local Natural Materials / Challenging Craftsmanship
