The site shapes everything.
Every CPD cottage begins with the land — its shoreline, its grade, the way the trees meet the rock. The building design follows.
The LESS approach · Light · Experience · Structure · Sustainability
Light
Natural and electric light, considered from the start. We position windows to carry daylight deep into a plan, specify dark-sky-compliant fixtures, and work with shading and overhangs to manage solar gain season to season.
Experience
Your property is at the centre of the design. We map the views you care about, understand how you use the land, and shape the building around the moments that make a place feel like yours.
Structure
Structure is both practical and expressive. We determine what a building needs to stand, then ask how that structure can be part of what you see and feel when you’re inside.
Sustainability
Healthy, long-lived buildings. We design for reduced energy loads, durable materials, and building envelopes that perform — so the cottage works well on day one and a generation later.
Get started
Our goal is to design a place for generations of family memories.
Get started with our detailed questionnaire form. We want to learn more about you and how you live so we can design the perfect cottage that fits your needs.
Visualizing the design
Every project is modelled in three dimensions before construction begins.
3D modelling is a standard part of every CPD project. We build each design virtually before construction begins — to resolve conflicts, coordinate structure and systems, and walk clients through their building in a way that drawings alone can’t achieve.
Concept modelling
Conceptual sketches are built into a working 3D model early in the design process. This lets us test spatial relationships, confirm the building fits the site, and identify issues before they become expensive to change.
Rendered visualizations
Photorealistic renders show how light moves through your spaces at different times of day and season. Clients see their project clearly before a single piece of lumber is ordered.
Coordinated drawings
Structural, mechanical, and building design drawings are produced in a shared 3D environment. Conflicts are caught and resolved before they reach the site — reducing RFIs and change orders during construction.
The process
From first call to construction complete.
CPD follows a structured five-stage process, from site analysis through construction administration. We’re involved at every step — so nothing gets lost between design intent and built reality.
Stage 00
Pre-Design
A site visit, a conversation about how you use the land, and a zoning review. We establish what the property can support and what the design needs to accomplish — before any drawing begins.
Stage 01
Schematic Design
We develop the concept — site plan, floor plans, key elevations. Enough to test the idea spatially, confirm it works on the site, and agree on a direction before moving into detailed design.
Stage 02
Design Development
The design is resolved in full. We work through every dimension, every material, every junction — producing a coordinated drawing set that contractors can price with confidence.
Stage 03
Construction Documents
Full permit drawings prepared and submitted. We manage the review process with the building department — so you don’t have to track the back-and-forth.
Stage 04
Construction Administration
We visit the site regularly throughout construction, review contractor submittals, respond to RFIs, and confirm the build matches the design intent at every stage.
Stage 05
Project Completion & Interior Installation
Move in! Construction wraps up. We walk the site with you, work through the punch list, and hand over a complete project binder — drawings, warranties, and maintenance notes.
Ready to build a place for generations of family memories? Let's explore what your property can hold.
A brief call is usually all it takes to find out whether we’re the right fit for your project.