Avid wine makers, the owners of La Bonne Vie wanted a modern lake house that captured the property’s amazing views, blurred the lines between interior and exterior and incorporated passive sustainable practices. Taking advantage of an existing garage / motor court retaining wall to the north and the lake and their existing vineyards to the south, the house was organized on an east-west axis to maximize southern exposure and lake views with primary spaces on the south side and support spaces on the north side.
The house utilizes an open floor plan on the main level with two sliding glass walls that open up to a deck and a separate master suite. The terrace level has an indoor / outdoor corner bar with sliding glass windows, a lounge with large sliding glass wall and a game room with a garage door that allow access to a covered patio and hot tub. Since it’s an active winery, the house required a separate wine processing room and wine cellar which are accessed from the covered patio along with a lake water closet, an outdoor shower and a sauna. The 2nd level has secondary bedrooms and a roof top deck over the kitchen and garage.
Passively, the house utilizes a system of south facing large operable glass windows and doors which allow natural light in the house. When open, these doors and windows create cross ventilation while two operable skylights in the stair tower create a stack effect. A series of wide canopies and overhangs help to regulate the climate of the house by letting direct sun light in during the winter while blocking the heat gain during the summer. The use of an advanced enclosure system that incorporates a rain screen design, continuous exterior insulation and a 2 x 6 core with spray foam insulation helps to maintain a controlled temperature. Actively, an energy recovery ventilation provides fresh air. While, two tankless water heaters provide hot water and an energy efficient heat pump system provides extra support.
