Chalet Moraine, a contemporary vacation home in Quebec’s Laurentians, merges modern design with the region’s architectural heritage. Completed by Appareil Architecture on the shores of a lake, the residence was designed by architect Kim Pariseau with support from Marc-Antoine Juneau for a couple who had long inhabited the site. The project replaces an aging chalet originally converted from an outbuilding in the 1960s. The design draws from over a century of Laurentian vacation architecture, including log cabins known as “loggies,” while incorporating the area’s distinctive boulders as a guiding aesthetic.
A Modern Interpretation of Traditional Chalet Form
The architecture begins with a simple rectangular volume capped by a gabled roof, evoking early Laurentians cottages and archetypal house silhouettes. This base form gains complexity through expansive dormer windows that extend beyond mere openings. These dormers create transitional zones between interior and exterior, with deep-set glazing forming recessed outdoor areas. Wood cladding within these recesses contrasts with the exterior, adding texture and depth.
Inspiration from the site’s erratic boulders influenced the inclusion of freestanding interior volumes housing service functions. These detached elements help organize circulation while preserving open, flowing spaces. The approach results in a floor plan that balances intimacy with expansive views toward the lake and surrounding woods. Appareil Architecture used this strategy to maintain visual continuity between interior living areas and the natural environment outside.
Materials and Cultural References
Exterior materials reinforce the chalet’s connection to its environment. Wood is prominently featured in cladding and interior details, particularly within the dormer recesses. A slatted screen wall incorporates a red accent reminiscent of traditional log timbers’ painted ends, while built-in window seats reference historic Laurentiers chalet features. These nods to local culture are integrated without replicating older cottage designs.
Upper-Level Spaces and Subterranean Amenities
The upper living room extends the home’s dialogue with the environment, described by the architects as an organic continuation of the primary suite. Deep-set dormer windows shelter recessed areas, visually pulling the outdoors inside. Natural light shifts throughout the day, with the owners noting how sunlight and moonlight transform the spaces. The bedroom and adjacent bathroom complete the private upper-level zone, featuring restrained materials and a round mirror as a standout element.
Circulation continues below the main floors via a staircase leading to the basement, which houses a sauna. Positioned beneath the primary living areas, this space contributes to the chalet’s quieter, more private functions. Architectural drawings illustrate the rectangular main volume, gabled roof, and room arrangements across levels, with sections clarifying how dormers extend interior spaces toward the environment.
Chalet Moraine brings together several layers of the Laurentians, its long history of vacation architecture, French-Canadian vernacular forms, forests, lake views and the boulders scattered across the environment. Appareil Architecture uses these references as starting points for a house that looks contemporary while retaining links to the region’s architectural history. Photography © Felix Michaud | Architecture: APPAREIL Architecture | Collaborators – Contractor: Gestion Séquence | Cabinetmaker: Créations De La Sablonnière