Private Residence, Canmore, Alberta
When developer Ron Renaud and his wife set out to build a vacation home in this historic community located on the east side of the Rocky Mountains between Calgary and Banff, one of their instructions to the architect is that they wanted it to look like it had been in place for 100 years.
To do that, architect Dan Jenkins incorporated two key elements of early Canmore architecture – timber and natural stone – in his design. And, to further enhance the look, he chose to use Rundlestone, a local product that’s been a part of Canmore buildings for more than a century, for a host of items from the driveway to the foundation and on into the interior.
And, thanks to the artistic eye of mason Jasper Browning, four massive Rundlestone fireplaces provide the Renauds with a look that’s both historic and surprisingly modern.
SIMPLE MATERIALS
At the core of the project is the Renauds’ vision of the home they wanted, and that included Rundlestone (also known as Rundle Rock), named after nearby Mount Rundle.
“There are a lot of really beautiful old buildings in Banff National Park that use Rundlestone,” says Ron Renaud. “One of them is a hydroelectric substation that we used to drive by all the time. It’s done in beautiful Rundlestone that’s weathered quite nicely.
“We wanted to have that feel to it, and we wanted the house to look old as soon as it was finished.”
To make the couple’s vision a reality, they turned to Calgary, Alberta-based architect Dan Jenkins. His firm – Jenkins & Associates, Architects and Town Planning Ltd. – designed the Renaud home in Calgary, and Ron Renaud describes him as, “a very good architect who listens well.”
Despite the Renauds’ emphasis on something that looked old, Jenkins says he also designed the project to be an elegant mountain home, and he worked closely with the couple’s interior designer to ensure that result.
However, he agrees that the main elements of the home incorporate simple products in a very simple palette.
“We utilized wood, glass and stone,” he says. “The base of the building and the fireplaces are all stone, the windows and doors are all wood and the structure for the building is all recycled wood in a timber frame. The floors are all recycled wood, and the stone is local stone.
“The essence of the house is a simple use of natural materials.”