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Nicole Furtado
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Located on a secluded peninsula along a motorboat-free lake in Muskoka, Canada, Long Lake Cottage by Dubbeldam Architecture + Design is designed around a simple idea: living within the forest rather than clearing it away.
The two-level, off-grid retreat responds to the site’s ridge of exposed bedrock, placing the main living spaces among the trees while keeping the lower level tucked into the forest floor.
The arrangement preserves the natural contours of the land and creates a close connection to the surrounding water and woodland.
Photography above by Riley Snelling.
Architecture by Dubbeldam Architecture + Design // Photography by Riley Snelling
The approach to the cottage reveals only part of the building.
Situated below a ridge of exposed bedrock, the lower level remains largely concealed, while a bridge leads up to the main entrance.
This allows the house to sit quietly within the existing terrain rather than announcing itself from the approach.
The clients had spent a year camping on the property before deciding where to build, giving them time to understand how the land worked before placing the cottage.
Architecture by Dubbeldam Architecture + Design // Photography by Riley Snelling
The decision to put the living spaces upstairs follows from that close reading of the site.
The upper level is organized around an open-plan living and dining area, with wrap-around windows and sliding doors opening onto the surrounding forest and lake.
From here, the living room feels suspended above the forest floor, with the trees becoming part of the everyday experience of the space.
Architecture by Dubbeldam Architecture + Design // Photography by Riley Snelling
The two levels are offset along their length, creating outdoor spaces within the building’s footprint.
The main upper deck extends from the living room, opening toward the forest and water on three sides.
Retractable screens allow it to remain usable through the warmer months, while an outdoor wood-burning fireplace echoes the cast concrete hearth inside.
Below, a second deck sits against the bedrock outcropping, where the shade of the upper floor and breezes from the lake help keep the space cool in summer.
Architecture by Dubbeldam Architecture + Design // Photography by Riley Snelling
At ground level, five bedrooms open directly toward the forest through floor-to-ceiling windows and individual exterior entrances.
The primary bedroom faces west and opens fully outdoors, while an outdoor shower continues the family’s connection to camping.
A sixth bedroom and bathroom on the upper floor provides full accessibility, allowing multiple generations to share the cottage without separating anyone from the main living spaces.
Architecture by Dubbeldam Architecture + Design // Photography by Riley Snelling
The material palette reinforces the connection to the setting without trying to mimic it.
Greyed cedar and charcoal-stained spruce help the exterior recede into the forest, while nearby-milled and sustainably harvested wood is used throughout the structure and finishes.
Inside, oak flooring and hemlock bring a lighter warmth, with the hemlock ceiling continuing uninterrupted from the interior to the exterior deck.
Architecture by Dubbeldam Architecture + Design // Photography by Riley Snelling
Built entirely off-grid and powered by a large solar array, the cottage is designed for year-round use rather than as a seasonal escape.
More importantly, its arrangement demonstrates how an unusual building strategy can respond to several conditions at once.
Raising the shared spaces into the trees preserves the site’s contours, opens the living areas to the landscape, and allows an accessible bedroom to remain part of the main level.
The result is a retreat that makes room for the forest to remain a central part of daily life.
Architecture by Dubbeldam Architecture + Design // Photography by Riley Snelling
Dubbeldam Architecture + Design is a multidisciplinary design studio based in Toronto, creating projects across residential, multi-unit housing, workspaces, hospitality, mixed-use buildings, landscape design, and architectural installations.
With a focus on sustainability, wellness, and design excellence, the studio develops thoughtful and environmentally responsible approaches to the way people live, work, and gather.
Dubbeldam has received more than 120 design awards, including the Canada Council for the Arts Professional Prix de Rome and the 2024 Architectural Practice Award from the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada.
The post Dubbeldam Architecture + Design Uses the Forest to Shape Long Lake Cottage appeared first on The Landscape Library.
The two-level, off-grid retreat responds to the site’s ridge of exposed bedrock, placing the main living spaces among the trees while keeping the lower level tucked into the forest floor.
The arrangement preserves the natural contours of the land and creates a close connection to the surrounding water and woodland.
Photography above by Riley Snelling.
Architecture by Dubbeldam Architecture + Design // Photography by Riley Snelling
The approach to the cottage reveals only part of the building.
Situated below a ridge of exposed bedrock, the lower level remains largely concealed, while a bridge leads up to the main entrance.
This allows the house to sit quietly within the existing terrain rather than announcing itself from the approach.
The clients had spent a year camping on the property before deciding where to build, giving them time to understand how the land worked before placing the cottage.
Architecture by Dubbeldam Architecture + Design // Photography by Riley Snelling
The decision to put the living spaces upstairs follows from that close reading of the site.
The upper level is organized around an open-plan living and dining area, with wrap-around windows and sliding doors opening onto the surrounding forest and lake.
From here, the living room feels suspended above the forest floor, with the trees becoming part of the everyday experience of the space.
Architecture by Dubbeldam Architecture + Design // Photography by Riley Snelling
The two levels are offset along their length, creating outdoor spaces within the building’s footprint.
The main upper deck extends from the living room, opening toward the forest and water on three sides.
Retractable screens allow it to remain usable through the warmer months, while an outdoor wood-burning fireplace echoes the cast concrete hearth inside.
Below, a second deck sits against the bedrock outcropping, where the shade of the upper floor and breezes from the lake help keep the space cool in summer.
Architecture by Dubbeldam Architecture + Design // Photography by Riley Snelling
At ground level, five bedrooms open directly toward the forest through floor-to-ceiling windows and individual exterior entrances.
The primary bedroom faces west and opens fully outdoors, while an outdoor shower continues the family’s connection to camping.
A sixth bedroom and bathroom on the upper floor provides full accessibility, allowing multiple generations to share the cottage without separating anyone from the main living spaces.
Architecture by Dubbeldam Architecture + Design // Photography by Riley Snelling
The material palette reinforces the connection to the setting without trying to mimic it.
Greyed cedar and charcoal-stained spruce help the exterior recede into the forest, while nearby-milled and sustainably harvested wood is used throughout the structure and finishes.
Inside, oak flooring and hemlock bring a lighter warmth, with the hemlock ceiling continuing uninterrupted from the interior to the exterior deck.
Architecture by Dubbeldam Architecture + Design // Photography by Riley Snelling
Built entirely off-grid and powered by a large solar array, the cottage is designed for year-round use rather than as a seasonal escape.
More importantly, its arrangement demonstrates how an unusual building strategy can respond to several conditions at once.
Raising the shared spaces into the trees preserves the site’s contours, opens the living areas to the landscape, and allows an accessible bedroom to remain part of the main level.
The result is a retreat that makes room for the forest to remain a central part of daily life.
Architecture by Dubbeldam Architecture + Design // Photography by Riley Snelling
Dubbeldam Architecture + Design is a multidisciplinary design studio based in Toronto, creating projects across residential, multi-unit housing, workspaces, hospitality, mixed-use buildings, landscape design, and architectural installations.
With a focus on sustainability, wellness, and design excellence, the studio develops thoughtful and environmentally responsible approaches to the way people live, work, and gather.
Dubbeldam has received more than 120 design awards, including the Canada Council for the Arts Professional Prix de Rome and the 2024 Architectural Practice Award from the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada.
The post Dubbeldam Architecture + Design Uses the Forest to Shape Long Lake Cottage appeared first on The Landscape Library.