The Smith Residence - Kingsburg, Nova Scotia
The Smith Residence (or Smith House) in Upper Kingsburg was designed and built by the award winning, Halifax-based firm MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects. This truly unique home sits on a 2 acre lot surrounded on three sides by water and shares many of the same design philosophies as other homes in the area - most of which were also designed by Brian MacKay-Lyons.
Pulling up to the home for the first time, you're immediately struck by the design - three distinct and separate structures connected by a stone walkway and stairs. Every aspect of the structure's design was purposeful and serves to frame various features of the landscape that surround it. This place is a real dichotomy - feeling simultaneously ultra modern and somehow 400 years old at the same time.
The combination of rusted steel, glass and stone truly make this place feel timeless.
Photographing the Smith Residence was - like the design - a double-edged sword. It was somehow incredibly easy to shoot and one of my biggest challenges at the same time. No matter where you set down the tripod, there was an incredible image to shoot. But fine tuning each composition and getting the time of day just right for each shot was a delicate balancing act.
Fortunately for me, this place seems to come with a bit of magic fairy dust for photography. Over the two days I was there, we were treated to some of the most spectacularly colourful sunsets I've ever seen in Nova Scotia! When golden hour hit, it was a mad rush to find as many amazing compositions as we could - both inside and out.
Having the chance to photograph a home like this is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and an experience I won't soon forget...
The sunsets here were truly spectacular and made shooting each space a challenge but paid off in the end.