- White Point Main Lodge, Conceptual Design (Opening Nov 2012)
Since breaking ground on April 12, 2012, the construction of the Main Lodge has been steady, exciting and engaging – with 000′s of White Pointer’s taking it all in on our Construction Webcam and chatting with us on Facebook and Twitter. At Saltscapes Expo in Halifax, April 27-29, we were overwhelmed by the positive feedback on the design of our Lodge and the sneak peek of the interiors.
On February 14 our Nova Scotia Design Team led by WHW Architects revealed the conceptual designs for our Main Lodge. Now, as the foundation is being poured and we approch 6 months since our fire, we are extremely excited to introduce you to the conceptual design renderings for the interiors of our new Main Lodge.
Drawing inspiration from our rich tradition, history and connection to our beachside location, the design and treatments capture the essence of White Point. Melissa Cummings and Keri Kosh of Design 360 have spent a great deal of time reflecting on the textures, feel and tone of the old Main Lodge to ensure the new lodge interiors would be familiar to White Pointers while welcoming to new guests. To achieve such, they have incorporated natural and reclaimed materials where possible, from the exposed wood to the stone fireplaces, the design is very reminiscent of 
the old lodge. Of course there are many beloved elements that had to be included, without question!
Welcome
You’ve arrived, welcome to White Point! Upon entering the Main Lodge, the heart of White Point, you are rewarded with an open, clearly unobstructed view to the beautiful scenery beyond – to the Atlantic Ocean. The lounge is flanked on both sides with double-sided wood burning fireplaces clad in beach stone. These key focal points are reminiscent of the old lodge and again, will offer White Point guests the chance to relax and enjoy a fireside chat.
Main Lobby
Here’s where you Check-In, get oriented, pick up your bunny food and embark on your White Point stay. The introduction of natural materials emphasize the strong connection to the site, architecture and history of White Point. The exterior cladding materials on the outside of the lodge will carry on into the Lobby as a seamless transition. The use of reclaimed wood on the ceiling, walls and reception desk (as was present in the old) are meant to create a warm contrast against a natural beachtoned floors. Swiss batten wood siding used on the exterior, clad the walls in the lobby and reclaimed wood is pieced together to represent a patchwork quilt texture on the face of the main desk.
Lounge
Our Lounge is back and many will likely say, better! The lounge bar has always been an area for White Point guests to relax and unwind, enjoy live entertainment and beautiful scenery – and it will again in the new Lodge. With two beachstone fireplaces flanking this lounge, the crackling wood fire will once again fill the air with the smell of wood smoke and be the perfect backdrop for many more family photos! The wood trellis featured over the bar is an extension of the exterior trellis over the patio giving the space an umbrella effect, creating an intimate and cozy, oceanside setting. A variety of lounge and dining seating and tables will surround the bar area and offer guests a place to get together with friends in a comfortable and casual atmosphere. Of course the deck off the Lounge, will be a favourite for year-round surf watching, dining and just ‘being’.
Main Corridor – heading to Meeting/Conference Rooms
While it may not be really exciting when you think of it as a hallway, but what it leads to and the treatments are! The 
main corridor leads to the meeting rooms, business centre, gift shop and washrooms. It’s walls will be adorned with old and new photos collaged together to tell our 83 year old Story - our history as we greet our future (you may even find our new White Point Quilt that we are stitching together with White Pointers here too!). As guests approach the entrances to the meeting rooms the antique style doors will be highlighted with reclaimed wood surrounds flanked by black iron wall sconces. The irregular wood slat ceiling with lantern light fixtures are meant to cast shadows upon the walls and create visual, dramatic texture.
Dining Room
The Dining Room has been as much about the oceanviews as it has been about the meals! With two walls of windows, the oceanview seating has increased and of course, the layout of the seating optimize the views – for everyone! The space itself will continue to offer White Point guests a family oriented, ‘come as you are’ dining experience with South Shore hospitality and flavor. The natural, beach toned concrete floor provides a backdrop for the reclaimed wood folding screens featured throughout the space. Colors found in the architecture of surrounding communities will be represented on the traditional style wood chairs. The buffet will be highlighted with a wood trellis overhead and a textured wood face reminiscent of an old weathered wood barn. The exposed structure complemented with colorful murals above surround the bulkhead throughout the double height structure and offer White Pointers a look back at White Point memories. One of the interesting features are the retractable walls that will provide a bit more dining privacy when desired – or completely invisible when retracted!
Dining Room Bar Area
The Dining Room will now include a fireplace where guests can sit by the fire in a comfortable over scale wing back chair or simply enjoy a drink at the restaurant bar. The wood burning fireplace clad in beach stone will be a focal point and invite guests to relax while waiting to be seated or an opportunity to enjoy an after dinner drink. The basket style light fixtures highlighting the seating area are collaged together to create texture and provide a soft warm glow against the beach stone fireplace.
Meeting Room/Conference Centre
The neutral palette featured in this space will compliment the stunning oceanviews offered from this vantage point. 
The views have been and will definitely continue to be featured as expansive windows are a part of the meeting room. The strong herringbone pattern found in the carpet tile is reminiscent of an old wood plank floor and pays respect to the pattern of the exterior cladding of the lodge. The wood burning fireplace textured with beach stones creates a strong focal point. Black metal ‘i’ beams provide contrast against the warm pecan wood decorative trim elements creating a beautiful backdrop for hosting meetings and special events.
The Meeting Room/Conference Centre is divisible into three separate meeting rooms (one with a fireplace), enabling the flexibility of accommodating 1 – 3 meeting spaces within this one room. With access to an oceanside deck, the flexibility of this space is exciting.
Pool
Overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, the indoor pool is an extension of the beach. The pool deck is clad in a natural slate mosaic tile reminiscent of the tones found in the beach rocks and works as a neutral backdrop against the cool blue pool water. The neutral palette is balanced with pops of fun colors as seen in the pool furniture and signature White Point water umbrella. The corner hot tub offers White Point guests a chance to relax and enjoy the beautiful view. Off the pool deck is the Sauna and change rooms while around the corner is the Fitness Centre, Games Room, Kids Zone and access to the beach.
The same tones, textures and features are applied throughout the Ocean Spa, the Guest Rooms and other public spaces.
Well, that concludes the interior conceptual design tour – hope you enjoyed it as much as we have. While we know these are only pictures, we here at White Point are delighted with the feeling of comfort, warmth and well, the overall White Pointish touches we have always enjoyed!
We are definitely looking forward to welcoming White Pointers back to the beach – for even more great days in the Fall!
While we undertake this construtcion, White Point’s 13 Vacation Homes and Cottages remain open and available for guests to enjoy our area. The Golf Course is open for the season, the Surf Shop will be open in July & August and there is always plenty to explore in and around the South Shore.
For more information, please give us a call at 1.800.565.5068 or check out our website at www.whitepoint.com .
Come on, let’s get started and take a pictorial tour of our new Main Lodge!
Your design team has done a wonderful job honouring the history and feel of the old White Point Lodge in this new building. I was concerned that the end product might inevitably end up looking too modern for my taste, but the extensive use of stone and wood make it look familiar and comfortable, even on paper. (I can see myself sitting on one of those bar stools looking out at the ocean, and having a cool glass of Keith’s, even as I write). My wife and I will be dropping in to personally “inspect” the Lodge in August, during our annual pilgrimage to Nove Scotia from Ontario. My only complaint is that your construction web cam is taking up far too much of my time!
Glad to hear your enthusiasm Ian! Indeed drop in, stop by the Front Desk at Lakeside Hall when you are in town! You are not alone with the webcam addiction, seems there are many others with you there:-)
Concept design of the interior looks great, not had the chance to visit the old building but the simplicity of materials reflects the environment around it with the rocks on the beach, stone clad walls to fire places and timber reflecting the sutrrounding area. The herringbone patterned floor to the conference room will look fantastic along with the double height on arrival. Thanks for sharing this element of work on completion of its design.
Though I am sure it will meet the needs of the client and replace the old building with something that reflects one interpretation of the history and character of the old lodge I can’t help but feel that the decision to go with WHW and the design as pictured is an enormous missed opportunity to do something unique and exciting rather than replace in kind.
Additionally in the floor plans shown in the “tour” the building is so deep in plan that access to daylight seems to have been a very minor priority. Once again to me it seems to be an opportunity lost.
Thanks for your comments Naryn.
Similar to our old lodge, we know that it’s design may not meet everyone’s expectation.
We have enjoyed the journey of creating the design with WHW and are delighted with the results. Digital and drawn renderings without scale, it certainly makes it difficult to appreciate the impact of the expanded use of windows and open concept approach used to increase natural light afforded to us by the enhanced south facing position.
Perhaps when we open you will have a chance to visit and stay with us, finding that perhaps, we haven’t missed any opporunities….based on our current capacities and constraints.
Have a great day, and stay n touch!
Donna & the White Point Team
Great work and efforts, and thoughts for that matter !! , have and are just of reward , hats off to the design team !! , i feel they have done a splendid job in creating a new but the same character , in this timely classic resort , bravo …” i like it alot ” ..