NuN Of The AbOve
La Cornette, CLeveLand township, QuebeC Yh2_YiaCouvakis hameLin arChiteCtes TeXT thomas striCkLand PhOTOs FranCis peLLetier unLess otherwise noted PrOJecT
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Somewhere in the roll of field and forest in southern Quebec sits La Cornette. Its strangely formed—but all the same familiar—roof peaks over the very top of a soft green bump as though the building might be engaging one in a whimsical game. This view from the road leading to the residence foreshadows a refined playfulness that underpins the country house by Montreal-based YH2_Yiacouvakis Hamelin Architectes. Designed for two families, the purpose-built rural escape “tries as much as possible to free itself,” according to the architects,
“from the world of the machine.” For Loukas Yiacouvakis and MarieClaude Hamelin, who co-own La Cornette with close friends Philippe and Stéphanie, the curious structure manifests the promise of kinship and the inversion of everyday life. The idea of leaving the labours of city life behind is implicit in the residence’s siting. Located two hours east of Montreal, La Cornette’s nearest equivalent is an abandoned ancestral barn just down the slope; beyond this, only the vague outline of a neighbouring farm is visible through the home’s generous glazing. Here, Yiacouvakis explains, there are no computers. This is an impressive commitment that belies the building’s social context and its place in the history of country houses. In the 21st century, to free oneself from the machine implies leaving behind e-mail, word processing and, for architects, the primary site of design and production. For many, computers and internet access mean
Loukas YiaCouvakis
A rurAl reTreAT fOr TwO fAmilies delivers AN irONic TwisT ON The TrAdiTiONAl NOTiON Of The cOuNTry hOme.