La Cache is a forest house situated in the Lanaudière region north of Montreal, Canada, at the heart of a spruce forest. Nathalie Thibodeau Architecte designed this forest house in 2014.
Located on the banks of the Assomption River, in the Lanaudière region north of Montréal, the property is at the heart of a spruce forest of exceptional density, defined by verticality and narrow tree trunks, which are quite common in the region.
Perched on a rocky cap, a trail snakes around the cliff and leads to the river. While the waterway is not visible from most of the site, the sound of its impetuous current reveals its presence. One remarkable and exceptional factor is the group of mature birch trees that colonized the flank of the cliff, adding a luminous, almost unreal touch to the site.
Since the project has a very small footprint, it was interesting to play with the verticality of the setting. The project was built at the top of the cliff so as to benefit from its height, and play on the verticality of the spruce forest, like a hunter’s blind in the woods. It is located in the heart of the forest, near a group of birch trees that take centre stage. For this reason, the living room windows and doors were designed as tableaux, so the monumentality of the setting can be appreciated.
The project unfolds through the site and culminates at the river. The path meanders through various living spaces. Terraces were laid out all along the path so that each space can be appreciated differently, according to the time of day.
— Nathalie Thibodeau Architecte
Plans:
Photographs by Maxime Brouillet
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