Appearing as a modest bungalow, the house takes advantage of its geometry to accommodate a three-car garage on one side, and expansive views on the opposite side.
PROJECT Parallelogram House, East St. Paul, Manitoba

ARCHITECT 5468796 Architecture

TEXT Lawrence Bird

PHOTOS 5468796 Architecture (exteriors) and James Brittain (interiors)
The exurban house is a conundrum. What are we to do with the country villa today, as the definition of ?country? is complicated by development and a blurring of urban, suburban and rural environments" With Parallelogram House, 5468796 Architecture and their clients propose an inspired response. It takes the form of an understated yet beautiful dwelling, based on a simple, subtly elaborated gesture. For principal Sasa Radulovic, FRAIC, the approach in any house is to look for the thorny problem essential to the owner and the site. In this case, clients Nolan and Rachel Ploegman commissioned a house for their family of four on an 80-foot-wide site in East St. Paul, northeast of Winnipeg, with a 10-foot zoning offset from side property lines. Perhaps due to personal sensibilities, they wished to avoid ostentation: so they wanted the building to be only one-storey high. This was a tight squeeze for a dwelling that was to offer views to the landscape and room for cars; all while being original and accommodating the richness of family life.
Floor-to-ceiling windows and a cascade of terraces open towards the backyard.
The solution, uncovered ...