Related Projects MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects
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First project to receive a Governor General’s Medal in Architecture in New Brunswick - Hilltop Cottage, New Brunswick
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Contents Firm Bio Related Projects Heritage B2 LOFTS Hospitality BALNEA SPA BIGWIN CABINS FOX HARBOUR GOLF RESORT & TOWNHOUSES FRESHGRASS ANNEX SHOBAC CAMPUS Mixed Use & Residential QUEEN’S MARQUE TARTAN DOWNS BOCABEC COVE HOUSE Resort CABOT LINKS HORIZON VILLAGE AT POWDER MOUNTAIN COLLINGWOOD GOLF RESORT
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MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects is primarily based in Halifax and Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada with a field office in Colorado and an office in North Adams, Massachusetts. The practice works locally and internationally on residential, commercial, hospitality, cultural, and academic projects, providing full architectural, interior design and urban design services. There are four Principals: Brian MacKay-Lyons, Talbot Sweetapple, Melanie Hayne and Shane Andrews and two Senior Associates: Miranda Bailey and Tyler Reynolds.
The American Institute of Architects named Brian MacKay-Lyons Honorary International Fellow (Hon. Int. FAIA) in 2001 and the Royal Institute of British Architects appointed him Honorary International Fellow (Hon. Int. FRIBA) in 2016. Brian MacKay-Lyons and Talbot Sweetapple are Fellows of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (FRAIC), and Brian is also a Member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (RCA). Brian was appointed to the Order of Canada for his contribution to Canadian culture in 2022.
Since 1985, the practice of MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple has built an international reputation for design excellence confirmed by over 170 awards, including the prestigious 2017 Global Award for Sustainable Architecture; seven American Institute of Architects (AIA) National and International Honor Awards for Architecture; four Architectural Record Houses Awards; the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) Gold Medal awarded to Brian MacKay-Lyons in 2015, the top award in Canada for lifetime contribution in architecture. The practice was also awarded the RAIC Firm Award in 2014; nine Governor General’s Medals, the most prestigious Canadian award that celebrates outstanding design in recently built projects; nineteen Lieutenant Governor’s Medals of Excellence; nine Canadian Architect Awards; and fourteen North American Wood Design & Building Awards.
For decades, Brian has made a significant contribution to both architectural education and practice, notably as a Professor of Architecture at Dalhousie University where he taught for 37 years. Talbot Sweetapple has also taught at Dalhousie University since 1997 and is now an Associate Professor.
The work of the firm has been recognized in 900+ publications including eight monographs: Seven Stories from a Village Architect (1996); Brian MacKay-Lyons: Selected Works 1986-1997 (1998); Plain Modern: The Architecture of Brian MacKay-Lyons by Malcolm Quantrill (2005); Ghost: Building an Architectural Vision (2008); ¬Local Architecture: Building Place, Craft, and Community (2014); Economy as Ethic: The Work of MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects (2017) by Robert McCarter; and an upcoming book with the working title Dwelling. In addition, the work of the firm has been featured in 100+ exhibitions internationally.
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Together, they have held 18 endowed academic chairs or visiting professorships at leading universities worldwide, including The Peter Behrens School of Architecture, Washington University in St. Louis, and Harvard University. They have also given over 220 public lectures on their work worldwide. While the work of MLSA is known for its cultural responsiveness to local landscapes, climate and material culture, it also consistently possesses an archetypal quality which touches a global audience.
‘Taken alone, tradition stagnates and modernity vaporizes. Taken together, modernity breathes life into tradition, and tradition responds by providing depth and gravity.’ - Octavio Paz
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Year Built / 2022 Project Type / Heritage
Lu n enburg, Nova Scoti a / B 2 Lof ts
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B2 Lof ts consists of a renovated historical building
for their proven resilience, intelligence and spare
and an adjacent new building on a narrow lot.
economy and translation of these elements into a
It includes two street level commercial spaces
modern expression. The project adds to the street
(one housing MLSA’s Lunenburg studio), with six
without calling attention to itself. Its design adds
loft-style apartments above. B2 Lofts demonstrates
one more, cross-grain, gambrel-roofed warehouse
the architects’ study of traditional architectural
to a streetscape containing several more historic
language and construction techniques, admiration
gambrels. RELATED PROJECTS | 7
Year Built / 2024 Project Type / Hospitality
Bro mont,Queb e c / B a l ne a Sp a
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As an abstraction of the surrounding Appalachian
to each plane of water. The bath includes a glazed
Mountain range rock in the landscape, the concrete
underwater section, offering a view through
volume of the spa emerges from the earth,
the water and glass interface to the lake and
creating a plinth to support a new thermal bath
mountains beyond. This project required a careful
and expanded spa terrace. The new thermal bath
relationship to the natural environment, while
visually connects the infinite edge of the spa to Lac
working to create public amenity.
Gale below, creating a perceived visual reference RELATED PROJECTS | 9
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Year Built / 2018 Project Type / Hospitality
Ba y s v i l l e, Ontar i o / B i g win C lu b Ca b ins
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Exquisitely craf ted from wood, with a quietly
made from ordinary engineered wood trusses,
assertive design, the cabins reference the big,
elevated through meticulous design into something
sheltering roofs of Muskoka’s historic cottages
beautiful. The buildings engage not only with the
and boathouses, and even evoke the interior of a
landscape, but with each other. They are sited in
canoe. Although sophisticated in appearance, the
clusters, where their transparency and openness put
buildings employ practical, pragmatic construction
them in conversational relationships.
techniques. The roof structure, for example, is RELATED PROJECTS | 13
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Year Built / 2026 Project Type / Hospitality
Fox Har b our, Nova Scot ia / Fox Ha r b ou r G olf Re so r t & Tow nhou se s
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Fox Harbour Townhomes is a collection of eighteen
that grounds the residences in their setting. The
two-storey residences shaped by their relationship
townhomes form part of an updated identity for
to the surrounding landscape and golf course.
the Fox Harbour resort, while being rooted in a
Generous windows, high ceilings, and open living
traditional design language.
spaces draw natural light and expansive views into the homes, while cedar shingles, stone, wood, and metal create a simple, durable material palette RELATED PROJECTS | 19
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Year Built / 2026 Project Type / Hospitality
N o r th Adam s , M a ss achus et t s / Fre shGra ss Annex
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The new 8,300 sq ft addition (plus 6,300 sqft
dine. The building layout forms a central courtyard,
basement /parking garage) to the Porches Inn at
activating the outdoor space and encouraging a
MASS MoCA introduces 10 additional guest rooms
strong sense of community. Guests can experience
and four artists’ studios, one of which is a state-
multiple outdoor terraces and porches, where
of-the-art music rehearsal space. At the center
they can take in the surrounding landscape from
of the project is a communal indoor porch that
different vantage points.
serves as a social hub for guests to gather and RELATED PROJECTS | 25
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Year Built / 2023 Project Type / Hospitality
U p p er K i ngs burg, Nova S c oti a / Sh ob a c Ca mp us
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Shobac Campus grew from the Ghost design / build
barns and boathouse. Today, Shobac is a living
Laboratory, founded by Brian MacKay-Lyons in 1994
school, farm, community centre, and architectural
as an alternative model of architectural education.
laboratory rooted in the landscape and history of
Over twelve years, the hands-on program brought
the place. It brings together teaching, practice,
together students, architects, builders, and the
agriculture, and community, grounded in
local community, producing many of the structures
collaboration, vernacular building traditions, and a
that now occupy the site: tower, studio, cabins,
stewardship of the land. RELATED PROJECTS | 29
Year Built / 2023 Project Type / Mixed Use & Residential
H a l i fax, Nova Scoti a / Qu e e n’s M a rq u e
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This is an urban design project, rebuilding the
fabric, typically surrounded by wasteland.
waterfront at the original landing place where
The site is at the crossing of the historic George
Halifax began in 1749. The re-establishment of
Street ceremonial axis, a central public gathering
the fine-grained pier building fabric creates
place since the founding of Halifax connecting
microclimates and public gathering places,
the Citadel, the town clock, City Hall, St. Paul’s
contrasting the current trend of object buildings
Church, Province House and the harbour, and
recently constructed downtown and course-grained
intersecting the recently established continuous RELATED PROJECTS | 31
public boardwalk running along the harbour. This
waterfront as a vital public gathering place. The
scheme forms three public spaces: one along the
materials correspond to the sandstone institutional
George Street corridor, one along the Prince Street
precinct adjacent. A 350’ long floating sandstone
corridor, and the sacred central court. These places
bar, references the city grid, is supported by a
along with the project’s mixed uses (office, retail,
series of copper clad pier buildings. These ‘boats’
food and beverage, boutique hotel, and residential)
run east to west intersecting with the public
supports the revival of the center of the city’s
boardwalk stretching from north to south. A series
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of pedestrian passages are squeezed beneath the stone bar and between the pier buildings connecting the city to the waterfront. This porosity and the consistent public ground treatment unifies Queen’s Marque to be a publicly accessible waterfront district.
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Year Built / In Construction Project Type / Mixed Use & Residential
Syd n ey, Cap e B reton / Ta r ta n D ow n s
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Situated on a former horse racing track, this
Doing so charges the center of the track with
project celebrates the site’s history by designing
activity, where public gathering spaces and low-rise
a modern urban neighborhood around the track’s
apartment buildings add public and commercial
footprint. Inspired by architectural precedents
amenities, as well as density. With a 55% affordable
such as the Royal Crescent in Bath and the Piazza
and 45% market-rate cost distribution, the project
Navona in Rome, the design strategy wraps the
strives to become a model neighborhood for future
track perimeter with 2 and 3-storey town homes.
developments within the region. RELATED PROJECTS | 35
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Year Built / 2016 Project Type / Residential
Bo c ab e c Cove, New Bru n s wi ck / B o ca b e c Cove Hou se
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The house consists of two gabled barn forms on a
the Night Pavilion back toward the road, two
cliff over the sea which is connected by an entry
courtyards (or barnyards) are formed—one on the
foyer between. One structure is gathering pavilion
sea and an arrival court at the road. The plan is
containing living, dining, kitchen, and study and
anchored at the sides by two, totemic concrete
one is the sleeping pavilion, containing the garage
bumps, a hearth in the Great Room, and a bath on
and private spaces. By pushing the Day Pavilion
the woods in the master suite.
forward over a concrete retaining wall, and pushing RELATED PROJECTS | 39
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Year Built / 2011 Project Type / Resor t
I nve r nes s , Cap e B reton / C a b ot L inks
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The site of Cabot Links is a unique and spectacular
The architecture complements and enhances
setting. The mountains are at your back and the
the ethos of the golf experience, one of purity
ocean and setting sun rest before you beyond the
and simplicity, allowing the natural land and
golf course. The golf experience embraces this
environment to shape the game. New buildings
landscape and takes advantage of the natural
take advantage of the surrounding beauty with
beauty of ‘Broad Cove’ Cape Breton.
targeted views and connective pathways that join the course, precincts, beach and existing town. RELATED PROJECTS | 43
water
beach
landmarks
beach road 1,2
town
railway
main street
golf course
The architecture must integrate appropriately
Similar to the golf course, the land and
with the town of Inverness and the culture of the
environment has shaped the local building culture.
region. The development builds on the origins of
The modest and pure stone buildings of Scottish
the old Scottish links courses which celebrate the
heritage have been appropriated by Cape Breton’s
common ground between ocean and village, and
culture of wood construction. This has defined an
the integration into the local community.
authentic vernacular unique to Cape Breton. It is not the intent to simply replicate the historic fabric
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and emulate it to make a ‘tourist’ destination; the architecture must reinterpret the vernacular as it relates to the modern functions of the lodge, cottages, and houses, and make its own authentic contribution to the vernacular history of the region. Each new construction will employ the use of local materials and skilled trades familiar to the region. RELATED PROJECTS | 45
Year Built / 2019 Project Type / Resor t
Po wder Mountai n, U tah / H o r izon V illa g e a t Powder M o unta in
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This neighbourhood located on a mountain in
series of communal courtyards /microclimates. A
Utah’s Wasatch Range forms part of a Utopian
‘lost library’ provides a meditative gathering place
Community based on the values of community,
for the neighbourhood while a larger lodge provides
ecology, and creativity that will be the home
for gatherings for the larger mountain community.
base for the Summit Series. Twenty-seven cabins,
A series of lantern-like garages serve the cabins.
consisting of four sub-types, and ranging in size from 1,000 sf to 2,500 sf are clustered to form a RELATED PROJECTS | 47
Given the typically more than 500 inches of
book cedar boards, with cedar shingled roofs. The
snowfall per year, and in order to touch the land
lodge and ‘Library” are completely clad in cedar
lightly, the buildings are supported on steel stilts,
shingles. This consistency of both form and material
which continue as the primary structural frame
palette is intended to bring a level of understated
exposed on the interiors, in response to powerful
unity to the mountain development.
wind loads. All cabins are accessed by steel exterior bridges. The cabin walls are clad in vertical, match 48 | MACKAY-LYONS SWEETAPPLE ARCHITECTS
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Year Built / Unbuilt Project Type / Resor t Proposal
R i ve r Phi l i p, Nova Scoti a / C o l ling wo o d G olf Re so r t
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The Collingwood Golf resort is a resort and residential community in Collingwood, Nova Scotia, sited along a bend in the River Philip. The project weaves together a golf course, a residential development, and a small cluster of hospitality buildings — a clubhouse, an inn, a restaurant, a spa, and an adventure fishing lodge — all organized around the site’s wildlife corridor. RELATED PROJECTS | 51
The architectural language draws heavily on the
Each barnyard is carefully sited to preserve view
region’s agrarian vernacular, expressed through
corridors and blend seamlessly into the surrounding
cedar shingles, corrugated metal, and board and
landscape.
batten cladding. Conceived as a walkable, clustered village along the slope above the clubhouse, the housing development takes the form of barnyard clusters that foster a sense of community within. 52 | MACKAY-LYONS SWEETAPPLE ARCHITECTS
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Architects
MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects 1715 Lower Water St Suite 130 Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3J 0J4 Canada http://www.mlsarchitects.ca