A common suburban site, while expansive in scale, was perfectly flat. Any traces of its rich & diverse natural history were no longer evident. The goal of the design was to re-introduce place to its land.
The clients sought a connected design to provide a “cottage in city”. Not a faux expression of a leisure cabin, rather a retreat in a conceptual manner: a feeling of warmth, reflection & family. Dove is conceived as a series of interconnected pavilions, like tents in its landscape.Each holds a destination while offering a multitude of egresses. Moving through the project is envisioned as a walk-through Ontario woods— gently up over logs, with low canopies dramatically sweeping to towering heights,squeezing through rock canyons, passing water streams- all sunlit from unexpected places.
The deeply ridged cast-in-place concrete serves as both structural support and the finished texture within.The surface of the concrete holds memory of the rough wood boards used to form it & mirrors the richness of surrounding ravine lands. The folded roof, dressed in birch on the underside & weathering steel on its exterior skin, rises gently through the spaces cradling the interior like a canopy.
Bio AGATHOM Co. Ltd is an award-winning architectural studio and workshop. Established in 2005, the firm is the union of two distinct, yet complementary voices — Adam Thom and Katja Aga Sachse Thom. The work is an extension of a finely-calibrated collaborative process, built on a foundation of broad technical expertise and a dedication to craftsmanship.
What sets AGATHOM Co. apart, is a focus on relationships – with clients, inhouse team and the collection of talented builders and craftspeople. This approach fosters a deeper understanding of clients’ needs and superior project management.
Other prizes No previous awards from BLT.
