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Case studies

Forest house I

Discreetly inserted onto an outcrop of the Canadian shield, among mature hemlock and deciduous tress, the home is meant to pay tribute to the living forest. Celebrated both outside and inside, wood dominates a restrained palette of materials.  The prematurely aged plank cladding, exposed framework, and various other interior finishes showcase all the richness of the natural material.

Born of a client’s desire to reconnect with the natural environment, Forest House I, attempts to distill the essence of place by inviting the landscape in to inhabit every nook and cranny of the home.

The architectural program
The main floor, the heart of the project, (anchored at one end, atop a base where a lonely rock once stood) hovers over the rocky cleft and projects a vast, outdoor, partially covered terrace towards a moss covered escarpment to the north. From this exterior perch, dedicated to relaxation and outdoor living with its embedded spa and leisure furniture, one passes to the fluid interior spaces of the kitchen, dining room, living room and the couple’s bedroom suite at the southern end of this linear building. The staircase and foyer, which communicates with the home’s main entrance at garden level, is inserted between the living room and the bedroom. Adjacent to the foyer at ground level, we find, a bunkroom/dormitory, capable of accommodating up to 10 guests, a generous bathroom and a storage/mechanical room.

The sitting area, glazed floor to ceiling on both sides, is bathed in natural light. To the east, a dramatic incline exposes a spectacular view of the forest canopy. Several alcoves, projecting out from the façades, grant extra space to the kitchen, dining area, and master bathroom and provide additional views and sunlight to penetrate from the south.

The master suite, the only private space on the main level, features full height windows as well. One of these was placed along the main circulation axis allows for striking views to the forest and the surrounding outcrops from one end of the house to the other. On the west side, the carefully designed bathroom features a perfect spot for contemplation with its bathtub inserted in a glassed-in corner alcove.

Materials and color palette
Wood is everywhere present in this 215 sq m house, which strives towards total symbiosis with the surrounding environment. The striking roof structure, left exposed, is made of engineered wood produced from Northern Québec black spruce. Particular attention was paid to the design and detailing of these structural elements supporting the roof’s regular grid. The façades, clad in eastern white cedar, were pre-treated with a product accelerating the greying process so as to blend into the landscape, like a chameleon sunning itself on a rock, and to minimize any future intervention with respect to maintenance.

Solid maple was used for the kitchen’s island countertops. Built-in cabinetry made of Russian plywood was finished with matching maple. The bright palette chosen by the architects for the interiors contrasts sharply with the at times dark forest around the house. The warm tones of wood brighten up the subtle white and grey palette of the polished concrete floors, the gypsum walls and the natural aluminum windows.

Below deck, the foundation was insulated from without in order to preserve the rough exposed concrete within as a reminder of the blasted rock that now shores up the edge of the precipice. The warm tone of the concrete blends in perfectly with the exposed outcrops of stone seen just beyond the windows. Such is the nature of shelter and place, of being and well-being.

 

Natalie Dionne Architecture – Photos Raphaël Thibodeau

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Lifestyle

To see only fire

The current context has led many of us to invest more in our living space. Spending months confined indoors has changed how we see our homes and considerably deepened our desire for softness and inspiration. This crisis is motivating us to turn our living environment into a space where comfort, safety and well-being are a priority.

Stûv stoves and fireplaces are designed to meet these now-essential criteria. Belgian in design, these appliances offer performance and efficiency in addition to a wide range of installation possibilities. From the family room to the living room and from the condo to the cottage, there is a Stûv for every lifestyle and every home. Find out more about them!

Simplicity and experience prioritized
All Stûvs have a refined design that showcases the dancing flames as well as a wide opening for abundant heat distribution.

Their various features are hidden for an enhanced experience. For example, Stûv 16 wood stoves and inserts do not have any handles or convection grids. A removable handle is used to open the door. The heat is returned to the room via a simple space between the combustion chamber and the casing around it.

Stûv 21 wood-burning fireplaces have no frame at the bottom of the guillotine window so as not to obstruct the view of the fire. The door mechanism, insulation box and convection kit used to heat your space are also hidden.

Made with only high-quality materials, Stûv stoves and fireplaces are built to last. From the welded combustion chamber to the precision assembly, every detail ensures their long useful life.

Balance between enjoyment and performance
Stûv’s combustion technology optimizes its appliances’ performance while eliminating their environmental impact.

Stûv 30 are EPA-certified wood stoves that offer the possibility of slow combustion as well as a multitude of features: open or closed fire, heating better adapted to today’s needs, generous view of the fire, heat accumulator, 360° rotation and even year-round BBQing.

In fact, Stûv wood stoves and fireplaces are certified to meet the environmental standards set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which requires a fine particle rate of less than 2 grams per hour.

To learn more about the standards governing fine particulate emissions, consult the simplified version of the EPA article.

Functional design and aesthetics
Stûv stoves and fireplaces have a host of practical elements that ensure their smooth operation all while making them a beautiful addition to any home. The Stûv 21-clad fireplaces and inserts are a perfect example of this.

This model is equipped with a steel casing to make it easy to install, quickly integrate into a room and showcase the fireplace. It has been designed differently. It doesn’t need to be built into a wall and doesn’t require any special finishing since it is freestanding!

Beyond the design, careful thought has been put into Stûv appliances to make your daily life easier. Several mechanisms make daily cleaning and future maintenance quick and easy.

Think globally, act locally
At Stûv, we firmly believe that a product’s warranty begins well before its acquisition.

That’s why we invest heavily in research and development, prioritize innovation, respect environmental standards and encourage global thinking while taking local action. We’re committed to sourcing only quality raw materials, selecting the best local suppliers, working with expert partners and offering available and efficient customer and after-sales service. That is the Stûv commitment!

To find out more about the Stûv warranty, visit the Warranty and Product Registration page.

All Stûv appliance owners agree that you only have to experience Stûv products once to be convinced that they offer an exceptional experience. Let yourself be charmed by the many possibilities Stûv offers by consulting our recent catalogue.

Categories
Case studies

Oak Residence

Étienne Bernier Architecture (EBA) – QUÉBEC

The vision
For our team, this architectural project was much more than simply designing a building, it was creating a living environment. From this particular perspective, we wanted to give meaning to the architecture, from the general layout to the smallest details, to create an inviting setting for all its users, in harmony with its environment. We create distinctive, signature projects that make people the focus.

Oak Residence
This single-family residence on Oak Street in Québec City brings a breath of fresh air to the Sillery district’s landscape. The challenge was to figure out how to integrate the modern design with clean lines into the existing residential context, with its established greenery. The L-shaped block plan conveys a modernity that fits easily into the neighbourhood and complements its charm. As the residence is located in a setting with abundant vegetation, the team opted for a delicate design. To echo the subtleties of natural materials, stained natural wood, dark bricks and steel were chosen for the cladding.

Discreet and private in the front, the residence opens up in the back with big windows overlooking the yard and a large terrace. The back is all glass, bathing the living areas on the ground floor in natural light. Sober and minimalistic, the front façade was created by nesting the house’s volume with the garage and entrance. To maintain the elegant sobriety, the garage is hidden on the side of the residence, encased in black brick. It extends to the front and includes the main entrance door.

The minimalism of the front façade’s composition showcases the quality of the materials and the shadows cast by the vegetation, while offering a more complex volumetry at the back with a play of levels and a cantilevered awning that covers the outdoor terrace. Inside, the residence is adapted to the clients’ family life: comfortable, practical and contemporary.

Categories
Lifestyle

B & C-O Family

New owners of a Stûv 16-cube stove, this young couple from the south shore of Montreal has brilliantly designed their common area to combine comfort, warmth and panoramic views.

« For us, 3 elements confirmed our purchase was a wise choice : The simplicity of use, the heat output that is beyond what we could have imagined in addition to embellishing the room’s decor as well as the outside view.»

– B & C-O Family – Canada

Categories
Case studies

Les Grandes Horizontales

Inspiration for this home comes from the majestic landscape of the St. Lawrence River estuary, visible from the rocky headland on which it is located. Built on a steep slope and unobtrusive on the street side, the house is completely open to the river, unfolding toward the horizon.

Spatially, rooms are organized around an inverted plan that locates bedroom suites at the garden level. Set in concrete, they are anchored in the site’s topography. At ground level, living spaces panelled in light wood, each one leading into the next, are characterized by different heights that allow definition of different uses. The dining room, airy and full-windowed, pulls away from the main building as it soars toward the horizon. Massive, vertical concrete chimneys provide a striking contrast with transparent openings and the lightness of wooden volumes built on an overhang.

The long horizontals unfurl to accentuate the landscape.

Thellend Fortin Architectes
Photos: Charles Lanteigne

Categories
Tips and techniques

EPA SIMPLIFIED

What is the EPA standard and do I need to comply with it? 

In the 1990s, wood-burning appliances on the market emitted a huge amount of fine particles per hour. In 2004, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) deemed it necessary to regulate the wood-burning stove and fireplace industry by requiring all manufacturers to reduce their appliances’ fine particle emissions to 7.5 grams per hour. In 2009, the standard became stricter, allowing only 4.5 grams per hour and in 2018, Montréal passed a by-law to reduce such emissions to 2.5 grams per hour. On May 15, 2020, a provincial law will require that any new wood-burning appliance installed be either a decorative fireplace or an EPA-certified appliance that emits less than 2.5 grams of fine particles per hour.

What are fine particles?

Fine particles are microscopic specks of dust that are released into the atmosphere when wood burns. When there is a large quantity of such particles, they form smoke.

What is the difference between a new EPA-certified appliance and an old uncertified appliance? 

Old uncertified wood-burning appliances can emit between 70 to 100 grams of fine particles per hour. An appliance with a fine particle emission rate of 7.5 grams per hour does not emit visible smoke or odour. When an appliance emits between 2.5 and 7.5 grams per hour, the reduction of emissions is not detectable by humans and can only be calculated in a laboratory. The difference between the previous generation of wood-burning appliances and new models is 96% fewer fine particles released into the atmosphere per hour!

What are the characteristics of a non-EPA-certified appliance and can I install one?

Appliances that have more than 500 square inches of glass and do not have an air vent to slow their combustion time are considered decorative fireplaces. “Decorative” because they are only used on occasion, since they burn too hot and quick to act as supplementary heating. For these reasons, the EPA standard does not apply to decorative fireplaces. Most cities in Quebec permit their installation and use.

The facts: true or false

It is no longer permitted to install wood-burning stoves or fireplaces in Montréal. —False. The city does not permit the installation of decorative fireplaces, but allows EPA-certified appliances if their fine particle emission rate is less than 2.5 grams per hour.

Decorative fireplaces pollute. —False. The wood-burning appliances that pollute the most are those that are more than 20 years old. However, decorative fireplaces are forbidden in some municipalities, including Montréal.

There are no wood-burning appliances on the market that emit less than 2.5 grams of fine particles per hour and also have a sleek design and offer a phenomenal view of the fire. —False! Discover Stûv EPA-certified wood-burning stoves and fireplaces. Stûv creates products that meet a need, beautify living spaces and adapt to all design styles.

  

Categories
News

Stûv at New-York

Stûv America will be exhibiting at the Architectural Digest Home Design Show in NYC March 20-23, 2014.

This year, Stûv America is burning all its glory with the Stûv’tainer at the entrance of the Architectural Digest Home Design Show in New York City.

Come live the Stûv experience for real and see all the benefits of a Stûv stove or fireplace into your home.

 

Please click here to learn more about the Architectural Digest Home Design Show.

Categories
News

Stûv America and the PUR-Z house

The PUR-Z Signature House was unveiled at the 25th SIDIM Show, which was held between May 23 and 26. It is the result of close collaboration between Bonneville Homes and Blouin-Tardif Architecture-Environnement.

STÛV AMERICA, a proud partner in this project, displayed a Stûv 21-85 clad SF2 in anthracite gray masterfully integrated into the unique and visionary design of this house.

Categories
News

An Award for Stûv America!

Three stars were awarded during the evening, which was attended by the Belgian Consulate General, many well-known business people and the Honourable Denis Coderre, Liberal MP for Bourassa.  For several years, the Grand Bal has been an occasion to honour top-performing Belgian and Canadian companies. The nominated companies are chosen from over 70 Belgian branches located in Canada and nearly 50 Canadian branches located in Belgium. After 7 years of marketing throughout North America, and with 28 outlets, Stûv America was awarded the first Étoile d’Or, the Grand Bal’s highest award.

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