Written By Emily Thorpe
Photography By Richard Mandelkorn
Building new and connecting to the unique landscape of Ontario’s cottage country – the approach of internationally acclaimed Landscape Architect Virginia Burt, FCSLA, FASLA
As Muskoka cottage design professionals and construction specialists working with the natural beauty of Ontario’s cottage country, we often encounter a paradox that both excites and torments us. Where the desire to create and build coexists with the imperative to protect nature and ensure its longevity for generations to come.
When the untouched beauty of Northern Ontario’s landscape beckons us, how do we integrate inhabitation with wilderness in a way that is functional for families? How does construction respond to the key natural features and attributes which give its appeal?
Muskoka Cottage Design That Grows With Nature
There are two main things I’ve learned from working with landscape architect Virginia Burt. One, it is never too soon to contract the services of a landscape architect. And two, 80% of what they do does not involve plants, nevertheless supports their health and longevity. Like designing your house to build your dream home, Virginia designs a landscape to grow your dream, with nature.
Nature is, objectively, anything that is not human made. Yet one’s dream with nature is highly subjective, and unlike building one’s dream cottage, does not begin with a concrete foundation of understanding. For all of us, our experience, appreciation, and level of connection with nature, has been, and is, vastly different. Everyone values nature differently. Respecting diverse perspectives and how these impact design decisions is part of Virginia’s everyday practice and meaningful dialogue with her client work and the land.
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It is entirely refreshing to work with Virginia, who does not subscribe to the aforementioned paradox. She rather simplifies the conundrum into a Venn diagram. Nature lies in one circle. Non-nature, where the client desires functional, programmable space based on their values, lies in another.
“We create places for people to have a holistic experience of outdoor spaces. The connection to nature can transform us from within.”
– Virginia Burt
Objective nature vs. Subjective Values. How much the circles overlap, the area in between, is what Virginia delights in discovering with her clients. Her Muskoka cottage designs go beyond inhabiting the wilderness to fostering intimate connections between people and place.
Lake Rosseau Cottage
With clean contemporary lines, this cottage creates a warm welcome and prioritizes recreational activities with outdoor gathering spaces.
Above, tennis court and pavilion are layered with retaining walls and pathways into the woodland beyond. Below, al fresco dining is a destination across the games lawn and frames views to the lake and fire pit.
Natural granite boulders and both native and specimen plantings nestle the modern architecture into the landscape and create a welcoming entrance in all seasons.
Blueberry Island
This off-grid Muskoka cottage design preserves mature trees through careful siting and achieves seamless indoor-outdoor connectivity through sliding doors and granite detailing. Boulders and plantings restore the natural forest floor.
While working on island projects presents unique challenges and opportunities in terms of site access, this main cottage was also located to preserve privacy from boats passing by.
The L Cottage
For this modern retreat, the clients wanted an immersive experience set within the landscape defined by large rocky outcrops and sensitive ecologies. Pathways and areas for outdoor living carefully weave around natural features while new native plantings restore disturbed woodlands.
The decking is scribed to existing bedrock outcrops to preserve the site’s inherent beauty.
The K Cottage
Atop an outcrop, the infinity edge pool creates a spa-like experience that stands apart from the natural landscape while providing views and reflecting the beauty of lakeside living beyond.
Contrasting the modern pool and using local stone, walkways weave through the natural topography to provide an experiential journey to the lake and fire “pit” stop along the way.
For over three decades, Virginia has been specializing in cottage and estate construction in the Muskoka and Georgian Bay region. Her work achieved international recognition and awards from the American Society of Landscape Architects and Canadian Society of Landscape Architects, and her clients appreciate and value her deep respect for the land. Even though no cottage, cottager, or place is alike – Virginia gets things built sensitively and beautifully.
