Bringing The A-Game

With its captivating A-frame cottage design, eco-friendly elements and seamless integration with the serene lakeside, Chalet_A stands as a sophisticated sanctuary for discerning living.

Words by Joel Wong | Images courtesy of Ian Balmorel

Nestled in Eastern Townships, a stone’s throw from Montréal, sits the Chalet_A, named so for its captivating design inspired by the timeless allure of the A-frame cottage. The new owners of this 1950’s gem set forth on a mission to transform and rejuvenate it into a contemporary marvel.

The house graces an evergreen forest, its edges almost caressing the water’s edge. The unforgiving winter months rendered the house inaccessible for long periods of time, leaving it weathered and worn. In response, the owners enlisted the local architects at Matière Première Architecture, alongside their adept construction companions at Nu Drom, to reimagine and redesign the house. Guided by a specific directive, the team wanted to keep the A-frame style and focused on a succession of spaces that seamlessly melded with the water’s edge while optimising the cottage’s spatial footprint for enhanced functionality.

This culminated in a design where fluidity and repose converged, intimately entwined with the lake’s embrace, and deftly framed the natural canvas beyond its walls. Each space is endowed with an aura of intimacy and comfort, utilising the A-frame’s playful geometry as a catalyst for spaces that perennially courted the lake’s vistas. This connection between the elements was woven into the very fabric of the design, melding together with the shifting seasons and weather.

The interior palette was conceived with light tones like white and sage to create a calm and tranquil atmosphere. Casual furnishings, plush rugs and linen accents create a relaxed and inviting space, adding a layer of warmth into the living areas. Local materials, including white pine floors, exposed timber frames and painted spruce panels, were meticulously sourced to maintain a sense of sustainability and sturdiness.

Outside, the design pivoted towards longevity, with the steadfast presence of natural white cedar siding, metal roofing and aluminium windows offering a sense of resilience and grace that allowed for a weathered look without compromising the endurance and durability of the home.

The A-frame’s iconic window was moved to allow for an expansive outdoor dining area which remained a seamless extension leading toward the dining nook and living room. The large windows offered a generous amount of natural light, combined with the gorgeous lakeviews that greeted guests as they entered the space. A new stairway was relocated to a more discreet position at the rear of the dining nook, leading to a mezzanine, together with a cosy reading net facing the lake. The compact kitchen adjoins the dining nook, while a separate dormitory pavilion sits adjacent, extending a gracious welcome to guests.

Navigating the precipitous terrain proved to be quite an adventure, with more than a hundred and fifty steps leading the way. Bringing in new materials and removing the old ones was like a well-choreographed dance, focused on being eco-friendly and reusing as much as possible. The team set up a temporary cable crane to assist in making sure to protect the old trees that added so much character to the landscape. The team remained staunch advocates of the local heritage, ensuring that the flora and fauna of the area was preserved to make the lakeside area lively again.

Through the efforts of the Matière Première Architecture team, Chalet_A now emerges as a sophisticated sanctuary, where discerning design marries seamlessly with environmentally conscious selections in an enduring ambiance.

About Matière Première Architecture

Matière Première Architecture is a small architecture studio that has been located in the beautiful region of Cantons de l’Est, in Québec, since 2016. The three founders, Etienne Chaussé, Marc-Antoine Chrétien, and Dominic Chaussé, fell in love with the region and moved from Montreal with their families, becoming part of the local community and gaining a better understanding and broader perspective of the area. Their work mostly focuses on rural residential projects designed by Matière Première architecture, and built by Nu Drom, their construction affiliate.

For more information, please visit

Matière Première Architecture | www.matierepremierearchitecture.ca