ANNABEL'S SMILE

Pierre working on our plans

Pierre is an expert at working with details. Nothing escapes him. As for me, it’s the big picture. Details are not my forte since I have always analyzed systems pertaining to an institution’s vision and mandate. Someone else had to look after the details that made the whole. Furthermore, I have always avoided Cartesian linearity. I prefer to make quantum leaps in order to analyze complex systems without making them complicated. My analytical mind is my favorite tool. Why go from A to B in a straight line when you can explore and go elsewhere? I am convinced that there is always more than one solution and that the correct answer is the one that works. This is my modus operandi. Pierre and I have a different focus and it is a beautiful partnership. Apparently, my husband thinks I drive my Subaru the same way that I ponder and that rarely in a straight line. In my defense: I learned to drive in the countryside and the rural landscape turns me on more than the white line on an endless tarmac.

Back on topic. When Pierre and I talk about building plans, we are essentially saying the same thing, because we share the same vision; however, our language is different. For example, we love technology, but we see it differently. Pierre is how-to. Not me. I want to see what other applications can be done for the same widget. So when we discuss construction plans, our interlocutor has to act as a filter and work intuitively with our subconscious. Then the said interlocutor reflects the fabric of our thought in a vernacular language. Are you following me? This is not an easy task. So, what to do with the silent language of architecture? It takes Annabel’s smile.





Bruno Verge leading the discussion the design of our house

We met Annabel Arsenault, architect, during our second meeting with Bruno Verge at Tergos. The first thing one notices about Annabel is her serenity. Her frank look is authentic and her smile is framed by two generous dimples. She is very patient and her ability to listen is impressive. Our second meeting with the architects was the signing of the contract and our first site visit to Saint-Irénée where the land surveyor, Dave Tremblay, was waiting with his team. On the way to Charlevoix, I briefly outlined our ideas for the house plans while noticing that Annabel and Bruno were taking notes. They did not waste their time or ours. I was impressed.

Arriving at our estate lot, Pierre gathered the whole team for the preliminary meeting to exchange information and strategize. With data from the land surveyor, one could better visualize the location of the house, the flow of surface water, the location of the artesian well and septic tank. The vision of the house was becoming more concrete as we walked the land. Dave Tremblay’s team would provide us with 3D topography to make it easier for the architects to anchor the house as though it had always belonged there while protecting its environment.

Annabel Arseneault and Bruno Verge, Architects

When Bruno spoke, he expounded on volume and the quality of the materials. He explained how the large windows of the house would sculpt the light over the seasons. I could see the house rise before me with a clean modern farmhouse revival style, fused to the environment and challenging our senses. It was a far cry from the magazine look and the big house syndrome overloaded with vinyl gables and faux stone siding. The vision he described was timeless and had a clarity ensuring an efficient sustainable green residence and respectful of our well-being. While Bruno shared his vision, Annabel took pictures and noted. Her silence was eloquent. She already envisioned our daily lives and the potential for this construction. Then we went down the beach on the St-Lawrence River, just at the bottom of our property. This wide blue expanse continues to impress people who come to visit us. It's almost an obligatory truce to go to the waterfront and look towards this infinite beauty. People are mesmerized. We are just amazed that we will live there soon.

Finally, driving back to Québec, I had the chance to quickly point out the home of my ancestors in Château-Richer. Located on the Route Royale, we see the back of the house while driving on Route 138. Built between the years 1790 and 1818 by François Rhéaume, it was erected on land granted in 1650. It is while doing my genealogy that I found it. I explained to Annabel and Bruno the strong emotions that I felt when I saw it for the first time. After taking photos of my ancestors’ house, I had put my hand on one of its walls and I whispered that after all those centuries, our family is still here.

Maison Rhéaume, Château-Richer, near Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré

Architecture, beyond all the canons of beauty, takes its importance because it is the staging of everyday life and our culture. As the humble abode of my ancestors, my greatest desire is that our home in Saint-Irénée tells our little piece of history. Having said this, I saw Annabel smile and I knew she had understood everything.