This Award-Winning House In Ontario Is No Ordinary Country Home

Recently claiming a prestigious 2017 Architizer A+ Award for it’s incredible design – the Toronto firm Superkül’s Compass House is an ultra-modern take on the traditional longhouse which maximises its stunning views across the Niagara Escarpment.

The stylish pad was made for a family of six to retreat to at the weekends – they had moved back to Canada after a long stint in the UK, so this was a chance for them to reconnect with the glorious Canadian landscape.

As a weekend retreat, rather than a permanent family home, the focus of the design was on maximising the family’s experience of the surrounding environment, allowing them to enjoy a spiritual connection with the natural landscape of forest and fields around them.

There’s an interplay between expansiveness and intimacy throughout the property – from the mezzanine level you can see down into the double-height space, with the pitched roof accentuating this void, while the mezzanine level itself contains a cosy reading nook.

Superkül chose an all-white scheme for the house to both contrast and complement the changing seasons around the year. The white theme continues inside, giving the property a light and airy feel, while honey-coloured timber on the floors and walls adds a depth and warmth to the interiors.

The idea is that the home will sustain the family for generations to come, and it’s already LEED Gold-certified to ensure it’s efficient to maintain. A second phase of the design ensures that passive ventilation, high insulation and limited waste are high priorities, plus geothermal wells for heating and cooling are to be added.

The house has been subject to high praise since its completion – it has been named an Interior Design Best of Year Award honouree, and it also received an honourable mention at the Residential Architect Design Awards.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.