Thoughtfully Constructed Houses

Atelier L'Abri Completes the Minimalist Magdalen House

Atelier L'Abri, a Montreal-based architecture office specializing in ecological and sustainable construction, has completed Magdalen House. This small residence is situated on a natural plateau overlooking the dunes of Havre-Aubert Island in the Magdalen Islands, Quebec. The structure is designed in a way that establishes a thoughtful relationship with the coastal landscape and vernacular building traditions of this archipelago.

Atelier L'Abri's design for the Magdalen Huse draws on a contemporary reading of the Magdalen vernacular, a local adaptation of the Acadian house characterized by simple gable forms, one-and-a-half-storey layouts, compact floor plans, and cedar shingle roofs suited to an exposed maritime climate. As such, the building is both discreet and recognizable. The material palette includes cedar shingles that weather naturally to a silvery grey, eastern hemlock for exposed structural elements, marine-grade stainless steel mesh for guardrails, and interior finishes of pine.

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