River House, Washago, Ontario
Design + Build: Thomas Carnegie, 1987
The house for a retiring couple was built close to the river, around a granite outcrop (“Whalerock”) and pre-existing foundations of the old cottage in Muskoka, Ontario. Exterior cladding was re-used cedar from the old cottage structural walls. South facing windows/living areas receive south light, opening to outdoor decks, patios and access to river. The building form aerodynamically allows north winds to flow up and over the house, reducing heat loss. The building is heated by a single wood stove with backup hot water radiant heat. Interior spaces are all south, east and west orientation with sloped ceilings which allow constant daylight and passive solar heating. The open planning is framed by the exposed Douglas Fir timber structure. The constantly-used screened porch is convertible to a fully-glazed room which extends its use by 4 weeks in Spring and Fall. Various outdoor spaces on the east, south and west provide for privacy and variety in Summer and become walk outs from interior spaces.