Modern chalet on stilts rises above winter snow

If you liked the white-building-on-stilts look of this concrete chapel but are more a skier than a surfer, you’ll go gaga over this modern home in Quebec. High House was designed by the Paris-based studio Delordinaire, and is raised on a set of steel stilts to get it out of drifts of wintry snow while maximizing natural light and views of Mont Sainte Anne.

The home’s peaked roof is made of corrugated steel, its exterior walls of concrete panels. Ingeniously, a stove was placed beneath the building so that the underside can be used as a sheltered (and relatively habitable) outdoor space even in winter.

The first-floor open stair shelter is covered with a translucent material that lets in ample light while exposing a grid of wooden beams. Inside large windows in the lounge offer stunning views of the surrounding countryside.

“Elevated stilt constructions are typically used in warm climates and flood zones,” write the architects. “This winter chalet uses the stilt typology to create a protected ground floor area with an outdoor stove. It is an unusual space where residents can be amongst nature and the snowy exterior while still having some protection from the elements.”

Via: Inhabitat