A contemporary cabin for dog lovers, this tiny home marries functionality and minimalism within an ultra-compact building footprint
Photography by Raphaël Thibodeau
Montréal-based architecture practice Atelier L’Abri completed a project in the forested hills of the Canadian Laurentians for a dog-loving client. Kanata Cabin, a minimalist, silver-clad house, features horizontal slabs of wood for added depth and texture to achieve a contemporary finish.
The award-winning architecture firm, which specialises in ecological, healthy, and sustainable construction, works on projects that prioritise human and planetary wellbeing. Through its design-build approach, L’Abri delivers buildings that meticulously combine quality and performance.
Kanata Cabin was born from the client’s desire to build a pet-friendly rental cottage in Mont Tremblant. This tiny house marries functionality and minimalism within an ultra-compact building footprint. Affectionately named ‘La Niche’ by its owners, the dwelling’s somewhat naive shapes evoke the image of a doghouse in the landscape.
Photography by Raphaël Thibodeau
Providing a subtle, natural look, the wood slabs wrap around the building’s minimally adorned exterior. Over time, the wood will slowly weather into stunning shades of silver-grey, allowing the house to blend in with the deciduous trees and reinforcing its harmonious relationship with the environment.
While realised on an affordable budget, the small structure’s exterior walls are constructed using 2×8 studs to achieve performance levels higher than standard constructions. This framing detail enables the use of bio-sourced recycled cellulose fiber as the primary insulation material, reducing the building’s carbon footprint.
Lastly, the tiny house is built on a structural slab, reducing costs, construction time, materials, concrete volume, and overall carbon footprint. These cost-effective solutions to promote better practices in the built environment are integral to Atelier L’Abri’s approach and ongoing commitment to exploring readily available ways to construct more sustainable buildings.
Photography by Raphaël Thibodeau
Inside the modest 650 sq ft single-bedroom cottage, there’s a modern living and kitchen space, as well as floor-to-ceiling glass doors leading to an exterior hot tub. Aesthetically, the cabin expresses simplicity through its vernacular gable-shaped roof and distinctive arched doorway that directly frames sights of the Boreal Forest.
While spatially small, the cabin’s high cathedral ceiling, naturally lit living spaces, and sweeping views of the surrounding landscape lend to its feeling of grandeur. Formally, the building’s volume is a nod to the pet-friendly nature of the rental cottage. This humble yet playful gesture continues in the interior details of the house. An integrated small arched nook in the kitchen island cabinetry provides a cosy space for both visitors and their pets to enjoy their getaway.
With its timeless feel, architectural simplicity and thoughtful interior details, Kanata Cabin offers a truly unique experience that seamlessly integrates with the environment and caters to its pet-loving users. The project is part of the Kanata Tremblant site, a 3,000-acre estate in the heart of nature. Visitors to the cabin can use it as a basecamp to explore the Mont Tremblant region, discover its picturesque landscapes, engage in outdoor activities, and enjoy the vibrant local culture.
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