Wood Design & Building magazine has announced the Dalhousie project, titled Refuge on the Bay of Fundy, is a recipient of the 2014 Wood Design Awards – North America Honor Award.

Developed as part of the School’s design-and-build program called Freelab, the project was constructed over three summers (2012-2014) by architecture students guided by instructors and local craftsmen. The annual program provides students with hands-on building experience to complement studio-based learning. Led by Talbot Sweetapple (BA’92, BEDS’95, MArch(FP)’97) of MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects, the project resulted in the construction of a multi-purpose ‘refuge’ overlooking the Bay of Fundy in rural Nova Scotia.

Consisting of a central gathering space supported by a series of sleeping nooks and totemic elements, the structure provides a resting place along an existing trail system to serve local community groups. The objective of the refuge was to develop an understanding of the use of wood in the history of building, particularly the wood building practices unique to the Minas Basin region of Nova Scotia. By studying the surrounding agricultural building types and construction techniques, the project developed as a simple gable structure constructed entirely with wood.

The project focuses on the innovative use of wood at many scales. Wood was obtained from local mills and serves as the structural system, walls, floors and roof. Cladding, furniture and windows were also made from wood. Building on traditional understanding of wood construction, different species of wood were selected based on their natural properties and application. The building’s exposed structure (beams and floor joists) was built with hemlock for its rot-resistance while the protected structure (stud framing) and interior finishes are spruce. The roof and long exterior walls are wrapped with white cedar shingles which contain natural preservatives and are better adapted to the local climate. The gable ends are clad with vertical hemlock screens that serve as a rain screen and also create a dramatic lighting condition on the interior – reminiscent of the agricultural barns nearby. At night, this effect is reversed and the building becomes a glowing ‘lantern’ in the woods.

For additional information please contact Anne Swan (anne.swan@dal.ca)