bohlin cywinski jackson, wilkes-barre, pa.
The uncomplicated form and plan of this bay-front home in Ontario won the judges' admiration. "Simple and elegant," said one. The home's layout is organized along a circulation spine that parallels the austere, cedar-covered front facade. Rooms branch out off the spine and extend to the back of the house, where views of the forest and bay outside flood in through walls of windows.
The straightforward plan accompanies an equally unfussy exterior. "We wanted the house's profile to be so simple," says Denis Schofield, of Bohlin Cywinski Jackson's Berkeley, Calif., office, who worked with principal Peter Bohlin, Gabe Hodge, and Brent Stebbins on the project. "We didn't want to run any downspouts, so we used scuppers instead, and put pavers in the earth where the rain would hit." The only exception to the spare facade and floor plan is a sunken fireplace element whose log walls pierce the front elevation. "You see that element as a spatial and tactile counterpoint on the exterior as well as the interior," explains Bohlin.
project architects: Peter Q. Bohlin, FAIA, and Denis Schofield, Bohlin Cywinski Jackson
general contractor: The Odd Jobbers Construction Co., Penetang, Ontario
project size: 4,800 square feet
site size: 2.25 acres
construction cost: $130 per square foot
photographer: Michael Awad Arch/Photo
