The Figurr Architects Collective studio has fulfilled a family's wish for a new home overlooking Lake Manitou, in the small mountainous town of Ivry-sur-le-Lac, a few kilometers from the city of Montreal, in the state of Quebec in Canada.

The house has the peculiarity of not being a conventional house, the house is completely prefabricated with the use of sustainable materials to try to minimize the environmental impact in such a natural environment dominated by forests and vegetation.
A prefabricated home can be understood as an isolated piece that sits on any place regardless of the place. However, Figurr Architects Collective settles the house on the ground, does not modify it, integrates with it, making a perfect connection between natural and artificial.

The prefabricated country house has a very marked volumetry in horizontal prisms arranged one above the other. Generating sensory spaces at different heights ranked by its program. The use of material and color is also a fundamental piece that gives the project a great personality. The differentiation of dark colors to that of traditional wood, such as the arrangement of the slats, vertical and horizontal, can be understood as the layers of a rock in nature.
 

Description of project by Figurr Architects Collective

The house consists of five prefabricated custom modules, each approximately fifty feet long, that are assembled before being delivered to the site. The concept allowed for indoor construction under optimal working conditions.
 
The modular design is unique, created according to precise plans by the architect. The insulation, windows, and flooring were all assembled before shipping. Transporting the giant modules proved to be quite a challenge. The process included preparation, coordination, and navigating through country roads with ninety degree turns in inclement weather.
 
Construction began in late summer before the demolition of the existing house. This ensured a faster construction so that the family would not lose more than one season enjoying the country.
  
Low environmental footprint

Conceptualized with the vision of creating an extremely low environmental footprint, the house was built using sustainable and local materials. The large windows capture the beauty of nature in all its glory and flood the inside with light. The direct sunshine helps in reducing both heating and lighting costs.
 
The natural colored outdoor facade blends easily into the woodland decor and the opaque black accents add an artistic flair. The wood used indoors is warm and welcoming.
 
The architect is in the process of applying for a LEED Gold certification for his home.
   
A place adapted to all 

The house interior was designed so that each member of the family has their own personal space.

The ground floor’s open concept has a large kitchen and dining area where everyone enjoys cooking and eating delicious meals together, a beautiful, cozy living room space, and a three-season screened-in porch surrounded by lake and woods.

The ground floor also has an atelier for painting and carpentry. The lowered lakeside deck was designed as to not disturb the view of the magnificent scenery.

Following the purchase of a humble country house 25 years ago, the owners wanted to treat themselves to a new second home where the space would comfortably accommodate all the new members of their family. Overlooking Lake Manitou in Ivry-sur-le-Lac, Québec, the home, designed by Canadian architect Richard Rubin from Figurr Architects Collective, is composed of five factory-built modules, each approximately fifty feet long, that were constructed before being shipped to their final destination. Conceptualized with the vision of creating an extremely low environmental footprint, the architect owner is in the process of applying for a LEED Gold certification for his home.

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Architects
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Design team
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Project manager.- Richard Rubin. Architects.- Richard Rubin, Stephen Rotman, Bruno Morin, Pascale Tétrault, Roberto Campos.
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Collaborators
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Engineer.- Jeffrey Leibgott SBSA. Supplier.- Énergéco Concept. Landscape Architects.- Projet Paysage.
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Developer
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Norexco.
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Dates
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May 2019.
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Location
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Ivry-sur-le-Lac, Montréal, Quebec, Canada.
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Photography
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Richard Rubin and Stephen Rotman have been contributing their time and talent to architecture since the 1980s. In 1989, they decided to join forces to create the architecture firm of Rubin & Rotman. They quickly discovered the exponential effect of collaboration. Over the years, they were joined by new associates. A team and a philosophy came together. Skills diversified, know-how was passed on. While Rubin and Rotman are still here, the duo is but one part of a vast equation. The creative spirit of the two Rs has fostered the emergence of a whole larger than the sum of its parts: the Figurr Architects Collective.

The relevance of the name Figurr stems from the fact that it is an amalgam of the word “figure” and the initials of the firm’s founders. With this new generation of qualified and talented leadership, the architecture firm is continuing to pursue the excellence that it has espoused since its inception in 1989, ensuring the sustainability of its business and vision. 

Bruno Morin (MOAQ) has been an architect for 20 years, including 16 with Rubin & Rotman Architects. He has worked on a wide variety of residential, institutional and commercial projects, as well as numerous projects for First Nations communities. 

Pascale Tétrault(MOAQ, PA LEED C+CB, PMP) began her career as an architect 24 years ago and joined the team 15 years ago. She has substantial expertise in projects of major scope and complexity, including the design of institutional buildings, and she collaborates regularly on projects for First Nations.

Roberto Campos (OAA, MRAIC, ORSA) heads the architecture firm’s Ottawa office. He has 21 years of experience, including 7 with Rubin & Rotman Architects. In particular, he works on the design of recreational facilities, schools, institutional, commercial and large multi-unit residential buildings.

The firm refers to itself as an "architects collective" specifically to reflect this particular reality. By taking the time to explore and draw from our clients’ very DNA, our team is truly able to create buildings and spaces that are an extension of Figurr's and our clients’ values.
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Published on: November 30, 2020
Cite: "Connection of opposite elements. Prefabricated Country Home by Figurr Architects Collective " METALOCUS. Accessed
<http://www.metalocus.es/en/news/connection-opposite-elements-prefabricated-country-home-figurr-architects-collective> ISSN 1139-6415
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