A Couple’s Getaway on a Windswept Island in Quebec Riffs on Tradition
la Shed Architecture slices into the typical shingled, gable-roofed house to create a radically open retreat.
la Shed Architecture slices into the typical shingled, gable-roofed house to create a radically open retreat.
Set in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the Magdalen Islands are as far from terra firma as you can get within the province of Quebec. At their windswept shores, rolling meadows and sand dunes give way to red cliffs, which tumble like crinkled curtains to the sea.
Time passes slowly on the archipelago, which is one of the reasons Vincent Morel and Jan-Nicolas Vanderveken built their vacation home there. Vincent, who spent childhood summers on the islands, knew this was a place where he could decompress, dive into the sea, and feel the sand under his feet.
With the nearby coastal cliffs reflected in their sharp rooflines, a vacation home and guesthouse play on the gabled structures of Canada’s Magdalen Islands. Residents Vincent Morel and Jan-Nicolas Vanderveken adapted a local custom by installing recessed entrances to keep strong winds at bay.
Photo: Maxime Brouillet
Vincent (left) and Jan-Nicolas hang out on the main house’s terrace, where they can watch fishing boats catch lobster, halibut, and other sea creatures depending on the season. "We know where our food comes from," says Jan-Nicolas with a smile.
Photo: Maxime Brouillet
The couple purchased an empty plot on the western point of Havre Aubert Island, where the strong, constant wind means there are few trees—all the better for savoring views. "We’re on top of a small hill," says Jan-Nicolas. "From here, we can see three of the seven islands, and two other hills, each with a house." To the west, there’s only the sea; the couple’s property is the last before the swell.
"There’s a tradition on the islands to name things. These houses have already earned the nickname les pintes de lait—the milk cartons," says architect Yannick Laurin of la Shed Architecture.
Photo: Maxime Brouillet
See the full story on Dwell.com: A Couple’s Getaway on a Windswept Island in Quebec Riffs on Tradition
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