![La Fraternelle by Atelier Pierre Thibault](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2018/07/la-fraternelle-atelier-pierre-thibault-architecture-house-quebec-canada_dezeen_hero-852x479.jpg)
Two brothers share La Fraternelle retreat by Atelier Pierre Thibault
The brothers that commissioned Quebec City-based Atelier Pierre Thibault to create them a shared weekend house each have a separate black block to accommodate their family.
![La Fraternelle by Atelier Pierre Thibault](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2018/07/la-fraternelle-atelier-pierre-thibault-architecture-house-quebec-canada_dezeen_2364_col_16-852x1278.jpg)
Completed last year, La Fraternelle – or The Brotherly – is located in Charlevoix, a popular ski destination outside Quebec City. The clients tasked Atelier Pierre Thibault with completing a home for their two families, while still providing a degree of independence and privacy.
![La Fraternelle by Atelier Pierre Thibault](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2018/07/la-fraternelle-atelier-pierre-thibault-architecture-house-quebec-canada_dezeen_2364_col_7-852x568.jpg)
"Two black volumes with slightly different orientations are laid out above a plinth that nestles into the site's steep slope," Atelier Pierre Thibault explained.
Each of the angular black volumes contains an open-concept kitchen, living and dining room on the ground level.
![La Fraternelle by Atelier Pierre Thibault](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2018/07/la-fraternelle-atelier-pierre-thibault-architecture-house-quebec-canada_dezeen_2364_col_2-852x568.jpg)
A flight of wooden steps leads to the master bedroom, which only occupies part of the plan. "The idea of a box within a box influenced the design of the bedroom, which is suspended and seems to be floating amongst the trees," said the studio.
Opposite the bedroom is a small office loft, which overlooks the living spaces below.
One side of each volume is taken up by an expansive double-height screened porch, which allows the residents to maximise their time outdoors. The remainder of the plinth serves as a terrace that both families can use communally.
![La Fraternelle by Atelier Pierre Thibault](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2018/07/la-fraternelle-atelier-pierre-thibault-architecture-house-quebec-canada_dezeen_2364_col_10-852x1278.jpg)
The lower level of the two homes features the same layout, mirrored along the centre. Here, the architects included two additional bedrooms, as well as a lounge area, and sauna for each of the homes. A doorway allows members of each family to pass through to the other's living space.
![La Fraternelle by Atelier Pierre Thibault](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2018/07/la-fraternelle-atelier-pierre-thibault-architecture-house-quebec-canada_dezeen_2364_col_0-852x568.jpg)
For this project, Atelier Pierre Thibault opted for a minimalist palette, using built-in or custom furniture wherever possible, as a way to emphasise the landscape over the interiors. "The large glazed openings and restrained interior furnishings facilitate contemplation," said the studio.
![La Fraternelle by Atelier Pierre Thibault](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2018/07/la-fraternelle-atelier-pierre-thibault-architecture-house-quebec-canada_dezeen_2364_col_17-852x1278.jpg)
Siblings that have clubbed together so they can both enjoy secondary residences in Quebec include two sisters that commissioned a wing-roofed home by YH2, and a pair that built a house comprising stacked and rotated boxes by Atelier Boom-Town.
Photography is by Maxime Brouillet.
Project credits:
Project leaders: Pierre Thibault and Mathieu Leclerc
Project staff: Étienne Lemay and Nicolas Labrie
Built-in and custom furniture: Francis Gaignard