A pair of carefully positioned volumes use topography, materiality, and restraint to create a quiet dialogue with the landscape of Lake Memphremagog.

Set on the shores of Lake Memphremagog in Quebec’s Potton region, The Counter-Slope House designed by yh2 responds to a site defined by steep topography, dense woodland, and dramatic views. Rather than imposing itself on the landscape, the residence adopts a strategy of architectural restraint, seeking coexistence with the terrain through careful positioning, modest scale, and a strong connection to its surroundings.

Entrance gate and terrace
Photo credit: Maxime Brouillet

Photo credit: Maxime Brouillet

The property occupies a challenging site where a steep hillside descends toward a narrow strip of lakeshore. Frequently cast in shadow by mature trees, the landscape possesses a distinctly contemplative atmosphere. The design embraces these conditions, treating the site not as an obstacle to overcome but as the primary driver of the architectural concept.

Photo credit: Maxime Brouillet

Photo credit: Maxime Brouillet

The house is composed of two interconnected volumes that emerge from the slope in a fragmented arrangement. Each is topped with a dual-pitched roof that combines conventional and counter-sloping forms. This roof geometry helps reduce the perceived scale of the building while establishing a subtle visual relationship with the contours of the surrounding landscape.

Photo credit: Maxime Brouillet

Photo credit: Maxime Brouillet

One of the project’s defining features is the roof of the main volume, which doubles as an elevated belvedere. Functioning simultaneously as an arrival space, viewing platform, and transitional threshold, the roof introduces an unusual horizontal plane within the steeply sloping site. From this vantage point, residents encounter expansive views of the lake before descending into the house itself, transforming arrival into a deliberate and reflective experience.

Photo credit: Maxime Brouillet

Lobby
Photo credit: Maxime Brouillet

Photo credit: Maxime Brouillet

The main living volume follows the natural terrace of the land, minimizing disturbance to the existing topography. This approach allows the building to settle gently into the site while preserving its natural character. Large glazed openings frame views of the lake and draw the landscape deep into the interior. Balconies extending from the living spaces further blur the boundary between inside and outside, creating a sense of continuity between habitation and nature.

Photo credit: Maxime Brouillet

Photo credit: Maxime Brouillet

Photo credit: Maxime Brouillet

The organization of the house is directly informed by the terrain. Entry occurs from the upper level, where visitors arrive overlooking the lake. Living spaces are located below, closer to the ground and nestled against the hillside. This inverted circulation sequence reverses the expectations of a conventional house while reinforcing the building’s relationship with the slope.

Kitchen
Photo credit: Maxime Brouillet

Photo credit: Maxime Brouillet

The two upper volumes orient themselves in opposite directions, one toward the lake and the other toward the mountains. Within these volumes, bedrooms are positioned among the trees, where framed views of foliage become an integral part of the daily experience. The landscape is not merely observed from within the house; it becomes an active participant in the spatial composition.

Photo credit: Maxime Brouillet

Master bedroom
Photo credit: Maxime Brouillet

Material choices further strengthen the project’s connection to its setting. The lower portion of the building is constructed from cast-in-place concrete, anchoring the house to the rocky terrain. Above, natural cedar cladding is left untreated so that it can weather over time and gradually blend with the surrounding vegetation and stone.

Photo credit: Maxime Brouillet

Photo credit: Maxime Brouillet

Inside, white oak introduces warmth and a sense of domestic comfort, balancing the rugged character of the exterior. Black-framed openings and architectural details act as devices for framing views, emphasizing the changing scenery beyond and reinforcing the idea of landscape as a living image.

Throughout the house, an exposed timber structure remains visible, providing both spatial rhythm and a tactile expression of construction. Left unfinished, the wood contributes to the building’s understated character while highlighting the relationship between architecture and natural material.

Rather than competing with its surroundings, The Counter-Slope House demonstrates how architecture can engage with a site through careful adaptation and restraint. By working with the contours, materials, and atmosphere of the landscape, the project offers a thoughtful interpretation of contemporary lakeside living—one that prioritizes experience, context, and a deep respect for place.

yh2

yh2 is an architectural design studio founded in 1994 by architects Marie-Claude Hamelin and Loukas Yiacouvakis. For yh2, architecture is the art of place—both the physical context in which a project is situated and which it transforms, and the more intimate interior space it creates. The architectural project, the result of a reflection centered on the landscape or the city, serves here as a tool for creating and transforming everyday life.