Brian MacKay-Lyons of MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple has been awarded the 2015 RAIC Gold Medal for his body of architectural work.

The Gold Medal is the highest honour the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) can bestow, recognising “a significant and lasting contribution to Canadian architecture.”

The Two Hulls house stood out from Brian's portfolio, built on the Nova Scotia coastline in 2011.

It's a full-time home for a family of four, with a “day pavilion” for living and a “night pavilion” for sleeping.

“This is a steel frame house, with a wood skin. Its white, steel endoskeleton resists both gravity loads and wind uplift. The 32? cantilevers and concrete fin foundations invite the sea to pass under without damage. The wooden rain screen consists of 8? vertical, board-on-batten on the two ‘hulls’, while the linking piece is a monolithic block of weathered wood inside and out, clad in 4? horizontal shiplap. The lantern ends dematerialise by eliminating the 1? channel joints. The fenestration of the ‘binocular’ ends is minimalist curtain wall with structural silicone. The side elevations contain storefront glazing. The concrete floors contain a geothermally heated hydronic system. This sculptural, yet calm and mature project contains generous white volumes on the interior, and exhibits the ironic monumentality of boats on the exterior.”

Quoted from mlsarchitects.ca.

As well as being a founding partner of MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple, Brian is a professor at Dalhousie University. His Nova Scotia-based architectural firm is currently taking applications from architectural graduates for a one year paid internship that includes accommodation.

Photography by Greg Richardson.