Résidence Saint-Damien: Living Between Fields and Mountains

Set on a riverbank adjoining farmland in Saint-Damien, Québec, Résidence Saint-Damien is a new home designed by Anne Carrier Architectes.

The house was designed for a large family seeking a permanent home on their farm, situated at the threshold between open fields and mountain forest. The site’s topography, native vegetation, and the waterway inform every aspect of the design – from its orientation to its massing and the selection of materials.

Saint-Damien: A home shaped by the landscape

The design emphasizes continuity with the environment, with a linear volume that follows the natural slope and angles to parallel the river while preserving the existing vegetation.

The material palette reinforces this relationship. Vertical wood cladding on the upper floor echoes the rhythm and tones of the bark on the surrounding trees while a natural stone base anchors the building to the site. This contrast emphasizes the lightness of the upper volume, which appears to float above the ground. The integrated use of wood, stone, and steel – employed for both the primary structure and finishes – provides formal coherence and durability.

The structural system utilizes slender timber decking, selected for its high load-bearing capacity and slim profile. Leveraging this structural lightness, the architects tailored the roof’s profile to frame specific views and optimize solar orientation.

Blurring the indoor-outdoor divide

More than a formal gesture, the fragmented massing organizes the interior by creating a central link – containing the entrance and staircase – that serves as a transition between the living and sleeping areas. The primary living spaces are located on the upper level, where the elevation provides increased natural light and expansive views of the landscape.

The interiors are designed as fluid sequences, with the layout prioritizing visual continuity and a connection to the outdoors. A continuous band of clerestory windows just below the roofline maintains a constant link to the sky and forest, heightening the sense of an open, permeable space. The slender, articulated roof contributes to a dynamic profile while maintaining formal coherence.

Vertical slats filter light and define the large covered terrace positioned along an axis aligned with an adjacent bridge. Here, the architecture creates an inhabitable threshold that extends the living space toward the farmland while maintaining a constant connection to the natural surroundings.

Résidence Saint-Damien establishes a balanced and responsive relationship with the site. By adapting to the topography through fragmented massing and a site-specific material palette, the dwelling reflects and enhances its connection to the surrounding landscape.

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