On the shore of Muskoka Lake, Ontario floats a fantastical wooden boathouse. Envisioned by Christopher Simmonds Architect as a hybrid of the beautiful views of the lake, and the privacy and coziness of the bay.

The project was a renovation and expansion of an existing boathouse, to which a second floor guest-space was added, including an exterior staircase that connects the two floors and the rooftop patio.

The interior is a contrasting hybrid of traditional materiality and modern minimalism. The placement and form of the ribbon windows seems to lightly reference Le Corbusier, not to mention the generally nautical-esque details of the steel-framed stair guards and railings. The exterior walls are clad with rows of clear stained western red cedar. Indoors, the Douglas Fir plywood wall panels are made to match the Ipe wood flooring and detailing throughout the boathouse.

With nearly the entire structure constructed out of wood, the structure is an intricate and significant aspect of the design; the post and beam construction of the frame is commonly exposed throughout the building, adding a very traditional atmosphere to the counterbalancing sleek, modern forms.

The exception to the wooden build is the rooftop terrace. Enclosed by cement wall panels, it provides a sheltering private space while maintaining the feeling of openness. The pergola is my personal favourite – a nice touch that not only accentuates the quality of the traditional materials themselves, but also brings together the charming variance between cement and wood.

While contextually still closer to a cabin than a house, the Muskoka Boathouse seems to rest in perfect balance between good, old-fashioned wooden structures, and minimal modernist forms.

Whether or not this strikes your fancy, one can’t deny the talent it takes to cohesively bring together such a design, and more importantly, make it work.

We’re fans of Christopher Simmonds, having posted these on canadianrealestatehousingandhome.ca in the past including A Home In The Gatineau Hills, Quebec, Modern Infill In Ottawa, Ontario, By Christopher Simmonds Architect, Modern Luxe In Ottawa By Christopher Simmonds Architect, and Christopher Simmonds Architect Inc Designs An Ottawa River House.

For more fantastic projects like this, please visit Christopher Simmonds Architect’s website, and check out their impressive body of work.

All Photographs by Peter Fritz.

Researched and Written by Mikhail Shchupak-Katsman, Undergraduate Environmental Design, OCAD University.