Willow

Willow Island is a long spit of sand jutting into Lake Winnipeg, accessed via a narrow causeway.  The site has sandy beach to the east, marshland to the west, and a small park commemorating the spot where the first Icelandic settlers arrived in the area by barge in the blustery late fall of 1875.  An existing foundation pad, embedded with heating coils, determined the footprint for the design, with the new bits slipping and sliding overhead.  A workshop and garage occupy the grade level, pushing the living spaces up above the dunes and bushy willow trees.  Large window walls capture panoramic views across the lake.  The walls and ceilings of the open interiors are uniformly clad with whitewashed pine, while exterior cedar siding has been treated with an eco-friendly protective finish to accelerate their weathering to a warm grey.