In the Canadian province of New Brunswick, Hilltop Cottage is an emblem of love and commitment. The pavilion-style home was conceived as a shingle-clad memorial to where its owners got engaged.
Step inside Hilltop Cottage in Canada
Designed by MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects, the cottage feels like it could be just as at home in Scotland, Wales, or Ireland as on the east coast of Canada. Although its materiality nods to traditional cottage structures, with its thick walls and hipped roof, Hilltop also feels entirely new in its typology.
The cottage’s large roof presents a monolithic form, reminiscent of a stone building, while the sliding timber doors propose a more intimate, cabin-like quality. For the Canadian firm, the purpose of the design was to create a place of reflection and inspiration for the owners, who had declared their lifetime commitment to each other in this very spot.
‘However, the biggest challenge was continually editing the design toward a pure, simple statement, resisting the temptation to over-design,’ the architects explain. This was achieved by using local materials, including local fieldstone and wood doors, and leaning into the vernacular language of historic Scottish shielings and Irish tower houses.
The architects looked at the 1962 Orinda House by Charles Moore to create a ‘house within a house’, they tell Wallpaper*: ‘The centralised plan creates a grounded sense of protection, while carefully placed openings offer expansive views of the landscape. The uninterrupted corner window is particularly powerful: sheltered from the sun and rain, you still feel completely immersed in the landscape. It creates a true experience of refuge and prospect.’
Retracted openings reveal a deep overhang, and the sliding doors add another layer to peel back. Above, two skylights prevent the space from feeling dark and enclosed. The cottage is not only a place of refuge but also acts as a viewing platform to observe the surrounding nature.
‘We wanted to create an elevated sensory experience,’ explain the architects. ‘When in use, the cottage’s window walls open completely to nature, allowing the summer breeze and the scent of the meadow to mingle with the natural cedar, creating an immediate sense of comfort. This is combined with an expansive view of the river valley. The commitment to an all-wood palette, particularly cedar, creates a warm and immersive experience that is shared by anyone who enters.’
