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where the water is

Water surrounds the whole address. The complex stands on Île Notre-Dame, an island in Parc Jean-Drapeau, with the Saint Lawrence River on the far side of the bank and the Olympic Basin, a long straight rowing course, cut through the island close by. Landscaped channels and ponds run between the pavilions, so almost every approach crosses water first.

where it comes from

The island itself was made of rock and fill for the world exposition, and its channels were dug then. The river water around it comes down the Saint Lawrence from the Great Lakes in a strong, cold current. The rowing basin was cut for the Olympic regattas and has held its water since.

what it is for

The water here is a boundary and a view. It keeps the site apart from the city, gives the walking and cycling paths their line, and carries the rowing that uses the basin in warm months. Restaurants and the live programme face onto it.

what it changes inside

Because the ground is an island, arrival runs on bridges and one road loop, and parking sits away from the entrance. Doors face the channel rather than the street. Paths are laid wide and hard for wind off open water, and outdoor seating stands back behind planting.

one thing to settle

Ask which restaurants and which parts of the programme are open on the date you plan to visit.

where the water is

The water here is the waterfall that named the town. The resort stands on the high ground above the Niagara Gorge, and its public galleries and several restaurants look out over the Horseshoe Falls and the river below. The gorge is a short walk downhill, and the falls are audible outdoors long before they come into view.

where it comes from

The Niagara River carries the outflow of four of the Great Lakes northward into Lake Ontario, and the falls are the step where that flow drops into the gorge. The spray that rises off the plunge pool drifts over the escarpment and reaches the streets above. Water for the building itself comes from the municipal supply.

what it is for

For the resort, the water is the reason the site exists and the thing the windows are built for. It sets which rooms are worth glazing, where the restaurants sit, and how the route from the theatre and the spa runs. The galleries follow the view.

what it changes inside

Spray and winter freeze reach the terraces, so outdoor surfaces are heavily drained and railings sit well back from the drop. Entrances are set on the town side, away from the mist. The long windowed corridors act as circulation, and quieter rooms go to the back.

one thing to settle

Ask which public galleries face the falls and which of them are open when you arrive.

where the water is

The Middle Arm of the Fraser River runs along the edge of the property. A marina sits at the foot of the complex with a boardwalk above it, and the resort's own dock takes visitors arriving by water. Beyond the far bank the river opens toward the Strait of Georgia, so the channel here is wide and tidal.

where it comes from

The Fraser rises in the Rocky Mountains and reaches the sea through a delta of arms, of which this is one. Its water is grey with silt through the melt season and calmer in winter. Tides from the strait push back up the arm twice a day, so the level at the dock changes without the river changing.

what it is for

The water gives the site its address, its arrival route and its outlook. The boardwalk links the hotel to the theatre and the restaurants along the bank. Float planes and small boats use the channel, and the marina keeps the ground floor turned toward the river.

what it changes inside

Because the bank is soft delta ground, the buildings sit on deep foundations and the boardwalk is a separate raised deck. Entrances face both the road and the water, which doubles the lobby. Windows on the river side are large and low.

one thing to settle

Ask whether the marina and the water taxi are running on the dates you intend to be there.

where the water is

This is lake country. The resort stands on the lands of the Chippewas of Rama First Nation, on the eastern side of Lake Couchiching, with the water a short drive from the entrance. Small lakes, wetland and creeks lie all around the property, and the golf course and the wooded approach roads run between them.

where it comes from

Lake Couchiching sits in the chain that carries water south from Lake Simcoe through the Severn River toward Georgian Bay, and the Trent–Severn waterway passes along that route. The ground here is thin soil over old rock, so rain runs quickly into the creeks. The resort takes its supply from the local system.

what it is for

The lakes set the seasons around the building. They bring the boats in summer and the ice fishing in winter, and they decide which roads stay busy. For the resort the water is context rather than frontage: the kitchens, the spa and the golf sit within it.

what it changes inside

Because the water is nearby rather than underfoot, the building faces inward and the parking takes the weather. Entrances are deep and enclosed against wind off the lake, floors near the doors are hard and drained for melt, and the spa keeps its wet rooms central.

one thing to settle

Ask which restaurants, spa rooms and golf facilities are open in the season you plan to travel.