Island living: “It’s like being tucked inside a shell”

Owned by a passionate kite-surfer, this cottage compound by Akb Architects, near Pointe Au Baril on Georgian Bay, is perched on a one-acre island, 20 minutes by boat from the mainland. The owners had chosen the island for its expanse of smooth, sloping rocks at one end, ideal for takeoffs and landings. Surrounded by open sky and water, it was also intended to be a relaxing, nature-infused escape for the couple and their teen daughter. 

The spot is called Whistling Wind Island, and the sound of the wind is a constant refrain.  

“The wind makes you hyper-aware of your surroundings,” says Akb founding partner Kelly Buffey, who designed the project along with partner Robert Kastelic and their team. “It’s very different from a place like Muskoka; it’s very much about being at one with nature. You learn to respect it. 

“The visual impact of the rock formations rising out of the water inspired us,” she continues. “There are many shoals in this part of Georgian Bay below the surface, making navigation difficult even for experienced boaters, and the weather patterns can be very extreme. So given all this, we wanted the buildings to blend in, to feel part of the landscape.” 

The property consists of four relatively modest buildings: the main cottage and a smaller bunkie, both placed on the footprint of two older, unsalvageable structures to minimize their environmental impact, as well as a small boat-storage house and gym, and a tiny sauna. All four structures feature asymmetrical peaked rooflines, which give them a windswept look; each is placed at a unique angle. Buffey explains that was to orient them to the best view, but it also has the effect of making the buildings look as if they’d been tossed about by the wind and just ended up where they are.   

None of the four structures are large; at 1,800 square feet, the main cottage houses two bedrooms, a shared bath and laundry, as well as an open kitchen, dining and living area. (The bunkie is a smaller version of the main cottage, with another two bedrooms.) Given its sensitive location, environmental sustainability was paramount: an energy-efficient, tankless hot-water system minimizes water use (water is taken directly from the lake), while triple-pane windows provide natural thermal control against both solar gain and chill. 

Cedar shingle siding left to weather naturally reflects the island’s grey granite and the waters of the surrounding bay. “The colour of the siding actually changes at different times of day,” she notes. “When the sun hits the buildings at certain times of day, they seem to glow.” 

All over the island are small perches and seating areas. Where crevices between rock faces were too steep to navigate comfortably on foot, wooden gangways create a safer path. Decks are also custom-shaped to the topography; one extends off the main cottage living room, accessed from a window seat several inches off the floor. Outside, it narrows to funnel a visitor through an opening between two trees, then widens out again to open rock. (What trees there are, Buffey says, are precious; three were planted during the construction, and the others were protected and preserved.) 

Interior finishes closely match the exterior, deliberately blurring the line between indoors and out. The walls are clad with whitewashed tongue-and-groove cedar planks that are lighter in tone than the cedar shingles. The horizontal orientation of the planks follows the line of the horizon and water, visible everywhere through the windows, and continues up over the peaked ceilings; it gives the rooms a cozy, enveloping feeling, like being tucked inside a shell. 

Huge windows are a major component in the strikingly simple design. “The windows dematerialize the walls and create a strong relationship between inside and out,” Buffey says. Most slide fully open, to let in breezes and offer full views from almost every interior vantage point. Many of them face west into the sunset, which can linger over the water for hours here. But western views also give a long view of approaching weather, which on Georgian Bay can change quickly. 

“It humbles you,” says Buffey. “The scale of the windows gives you a head-on view of the weather, while you feel safe and warm inside.” 

By November, ice begins to form on the lake, and cottage season is over for another year; heavy custom aluminum doors roll over the window exteriors to protect the cottage from winter’s ravages. 

“I really like how [the property is] both playful and deeply respectful of the geographical context,” says Buffey. “Quite often, when you’re being playful in architecture, it can feel out of place. But here, it blends into the rocks and is sensitive to the environment, while also addressing the needs of the inhabitants.”