Vertical Playground

The Convergence: A Timber Dining Hall for Camp

For the last project of my undergraduate studies, my partner and I were tasked with designing a timber dining hall immersed in the nature of St. Sauveur, Québec, for the YMCA Camp Kanawana. Our proposal for the dining hall aims to encourage intimacy and engagement with the natural context on site, which slopes over a forested hill with a clear view to the lake The building is divided into 2 masses according to program: the upper portion being the kitchen and the lower being the dining hall. Bounded by the roads on site, the two masses converge at a mutual corner, thus forming a dialogue with each other. The building structure follows the converging path of the massing, displaying the gradual merge of two discrete truss systems becoming juxtaposed as they approach the point of convergence. Both systems draw inspiration from a typical scissor truss and were reinvented in accordance with the asymmetrical roof structure. The roof, adorned by punctual moments of skylights, hovers over the entire building to form unique peaks and ridges that are reflective of the beauty of its surrounding landscape.

Studio Project