In an undisclosed location along the Ottawa River, Christopher Simmons Architect Inc have created another celebration that reflects a contemporary open spaced home.

The firm keeps strong fidelity to their core design philosophy, which includes sustainability, community, and holistic design form the foundation of each of their houses. This house is no exception! As in some of their other buildings, the form of this home consists of multiple volumes and materials. The firm has a strong sculptural aesthetic that comes through in the interior, where the volumes of household objects create focal points towards the large open space.

The house was designed with what Mr. Simmonds calls “The Picnic Principal”. It’s a fun and simple way to start understanding the relationship that the building has to its site. He asks his clients where on the property they would sit if they were to have a picnic, and these placements help establish where the main rooms will be, and how the views should be organized. He walks the property to find the ideal locations for windows and views. He even gets his clients to climb ladders to find out how they feel about the sightlines from different heights.

In an interview conducted by the Ottawa Citizen, Christopher Simmonds talks about the importance of using Feng Shui. I was curious how this played into the architecture, so I contacted Mr. Simmonds, and he was kind enough to explain his process.

Feng Shui has many elements involved, but he emphasized the importance of gently moving chi. He explained that energy resonates in a space, for instance, there can be the chi of rushing water, of torrential downpours and crushing waves, or of a stagnant pond, putrid and stinking – devoid of life. His goal is to keep the chi gently moving, not so fast as to cause stress, but not so slow as to deaden its life.

The application of this theory is beautifully extolled in the River House. The property boarders on the river, and the views that the house gives are extraordinary. Throughout the property, floor to windows anchor the interior to the site. The river imparts the gradual flow of chi in the main spaces.

The interior is unified to the exterior. The open concept is expertly divided into the whole, using functional aspects like partitions, such as the fireplace and shelving units.

With such connectivity, Mr. Simmonds says there comes a price; he has learned that it is important to have what he calls “the away room”, a space, aside from the bedrooms, that acts as a little hidden cave for anyone wishing to find some privacy. The result is that the Ottawa River House provides strategic views of the landscape from open rooms, with a strong contemporary style that is reflected in the layout and materiality of this luxurious home.

To learn more about this brilliant firm, visit Christopher Simmonds Architect.

All photos courtesy of © Double Space Photography

Written by Robin R. Vindum Whitteker, recent graduate of Environmental Design at OCAD University in Toronto