Articles by Andreas Luco

This pool house and spa is constructed into the side of a mountain at the point where it meets the St. Lawrence River valley floor. Built for a discerning client on his rural property west of Montreal, this seemingly simple structure is intricately crafted. This is a minimalist project, inspired by Mies van der Rohe’s 1929 Barcelona Pavilion, which established the grammar for this elemental modern architecture.

This home, overlooking the fairways and surrounds of Sorrento Golf Club was designed for a couple planning to return to Australia after many years overseas. One of the clients grew up in an old Merchant Home on the site and holidayed there during childhood. Our response was to effectively create a luxury suite at the upper level, including an elevated garden and cantilevered pool. The home is constructed deep into the hillside with outstanding views of the golf course and beyond. We describe the architecture as a kind of sophisticated beach house which incorporates the kind of modern expectations, however, at a very basic level –this is a beach house, that incorporates cross ventilation pathways through it at both levels, with framed garden outlooks and a significant focus on the experience of natural light. Protected outdoor spaces are offered and emerging around the building is a landscape that extends the coastal dune flora typical of the area.