Perched on a steeply sloping site at the edge of a fjord in Saguenay, Canada, Sur Le Ruisseau house was designed by local studio Matière Première Architecture in 2019 as a retreat from everyday life. The minimalist interiors are warmed with natural materials including a full-length red oak bookshelf, which extends throughout the home and doubles as a light fixture.

Positioned at the edge of the fjord
The Sur Le Ruisseau house by Matière Première Architecture perches on a steeply sloping site at the edge of a fjord.
The local studio arranged the volumes longitudinally, following both the shoreline and the terrain, and organised the program into three distinct but interconnected zones.
“The site’s topography and natural dynamics guided our design, allowing us to harmonise the project with its surroundings,” said architect Étienne Chaussé.
Lowering the structure minimised cut and fill operations
Lowering the structure across the property minimised cut and fill operations, while also incorporating a long suspension in the middle.
The bed of pebbles below allows for the passage of rainwater that flows down from the adjacent hillside, “the natural flow of water during spring snowmelt can run beneath the structure before joining the fjord”.

Three distinct zones
With a contemporary architectural expression, the home’s three zones are subtlety defined by the roof shapes.
A double-pitched roof tops the utility and private zone, which span...