The house on the river

“Relationships are at the centre of all our projects,” says architect Dov Secter, who runs Secter Architecture + Design – a Winnipeg-based practice focused primarily on residential design – together with his father Lloyd and wife Sarah. Each home they design emerges from a dialogue between architect and client, between building and landscape.

A case in point is Living Lounge, a house set in woodland along the Assiniboine River just outside downtown Winnipeg.

The starting point for the project was its direct relationship with nature: large perimeter windows draw the river and garden into the interior and offer spectacular views. At the same time, privacy was crucial. “The client wanted a house that felt open and airy from inside, while still creating an intimate feel,” notes Secter. The solution was a louvre system on the main façade that shields the house from the street while maintaining a connection with the natural setting at the back. By day the slats create a play of light and shadow that enhances the interiors, whereas by night they bring a cinematic quality. Seen from the river, Sector jokes, “It feels like a James Bond villain’s house as you cruise by.”

The ground floor is organised as a large, light-filled living space, with the kitchen island and adjacent dining space forming the heart of the home. Inside and outside merge on the patio, which features a second kitchen and a sauna overlooking the river. Even in the private areas, such as the upstairs bedroom, the connection with nature remains central. Here the design promotes rest and relaxation, creating an oasis of serenity.

One of the biggest challenges of the project was to design a space that would reflect the lifestyle of its globetrotting owners, combining the atmosphere of a boutique hotel with the intimacy of a family home while respecting a limited budget.

The answer lay in the careful selection of materials, wood floors and panelling complemented by porcelain stoneware. The distinctive design and colours of the chosen solutions earned the Canadian team recognition in the Tile Competition Award 2025, which celebrates the best projects in Europe and North America using Italian ceramics.

Large-format (162×324 cm) panels from Laminam’s I Naturali collection take centre stage in the kitchen. Chosen in Pietra Grey with delicate slate-coloured veining, they feature on the countertop and hob and continue on the cupboard shelves and sliding doors, creating a refined, consistent visual theme.

At the entrance, Mirage’s Glocal collection blends seamlessly with the home’s clean styling, while the laundry and service bathrooms feature the Quarziti series on the walls.

The result is a luminous, fluid environment, a unique architecture that enhances the occupants’ comfort and perception of the landscape.