As any alpine skier can tell you, terrain and snow conditions are what it’s all about. The ski lodge comes in a distant second, little more than a place to seek nourishment and warm up between runs. A utilitarian typology reflects this hierarchy: whether the rustic chic of Aspen or the rinky-dink local hill, exposed timber, gabled roofs, and drab furniture set the tone. But with its recent reinvention of the clubhouse for the Osler Bluff Ski Club in eastern Ontario, Toronto-based architects Williamson Williamson have brought dignity to a usually kitschy building type with a bold and graceful use of traditional wood and glass.

The club in its previous life. Photo © Bob Gundu, click to enlarge.