“The idea was to create a gathering place on the lake for several of the families that have houses or cabins on the larger property,” Bob Wagner of High Peaks Carpenters said. “A place for them all to entertain and be together at once.”
Found on the pastoral shoreline of Lake Champlain and nestled in the shadows of the Adirondack High Peaks, sits a scenic pavilion that brings together two separate parcels of land. Enjoyed by several generations, five of the families collaborated on the lakeside centerpiece.
“The first objective was to sit the structure, so it didn’t block the view of the lake from the surrounding houses,” says architect Joan Heaton. “Also to knit the two sites together. There is this big retaining wall that forms sort of a plinth for the building to sit on and an earthen ramp that goes from the more manicured space down towards the water and the beach.”
The deceivingly simple barn style building is essentially an open-ended park pavilion featuring a multitude of comfortable spaces and several high-end amenities. “There are changing rooms and two bathrooms, with one of them being accessible for a wheelchair,” Heaton added. “The entry on the upper side is a ramp—reminiscent of a bank barn. And the pavilion has a bedroom upstairs that can be used as an office or overflow for extra visitors.”
The communal building is an axis of ineffable views available from inside and outside. “The sight lines were very intentional, as the North and East open up to views,” Heaton said. “The two sides of the pavilion open up to both light and landscape The screen porch is tucked away so that it’s not blocking views from the interior.”
Heavy timber covered porch areas lend a biophilic feel while offering visitors protection from the elements. “It’s typical of the Adirondack region to use timber, and New Energy Works does such a nice job with custom finishing,” Heaton said. “Their ability to make really interesting finishes are what put New Energy Works above others we’ve worked with.”
“There is no demarcation between the inside and the outside of the pavilion. We were really trying to intentionally open the building up to the exterior, not only in terms of the glazing, but also in terms of air movement,” Heaton explains. “We played with the size of the glazing, the building is supposed to look agrarian, the windows are big, and so having a big glazing on the entryway is what lets you see through the building.”
The pavilion comes to panoramic life through its three sets of sliding doors and two porches—literally opening the building up to the outside from the middle. One of the entryways is a four-foot-wide pocket door that when opened provides eight feet worth of uninterrupted viewing space that can be easily covered if needed with a screen.
The spacious and bright central room contains custom timber frame elements with sweetly finished king post trusses, and black steel plates. “It’s usually starts, how can we do this with wood,” Heaton said. “Wood is the first choice. It’s easy to work with, the craftsmen like it, and it’s not intimidating.”
“Working with New Energy Works was very successful,” Wagner says, “The joinery was flawless and the timber work on the trusses in the main living space and two porches is such a special feature of the building.”
The finished timber elements keep the pavilion grounded in its surroundings, and the seamless transitions from lakeside to inside make it a special space. The building offers endless places to contemplate, relax, or converse. But what makes it magical, is how it unifies a property, a community, and homeowners - for generations to come.
Architect: Joan Heaton Architects
Engineering: Artisan Engineering
Builder: High Peaks Carpenters
Photography: Ryan Bent
