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Architects: McLean Quinlan
- Area: 420 m²
- Year: 2020
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Photographs:David Agnello
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Manufacturers: Dornbracht, Agape, Toto
Text description provided by the architects. A clearing amongst Aspen and Pine makes way for an understated home, positioned to take in long views across Snake River Valley and the mountains beyond. Our clients wanted a house that embraced this majestic setting. A peaceful, modern retreat to recharge whilst immersed in nature.
Our clients came to us after visiting another project of ours close by. They were looking for a design to replace a dilapidated cabin on the site, designed in a traditional cabin style the home was dark and had little connection to the site it occupied and had fallen into disrepair.
The key to the new design was to create a home that was light-filled and connected to nature. The site backs onto a forest of Aspen and Pine as you arrive at the house you are met by the wide-open views of the valley and mountains beyond. The home sits in the valley of the Snake River looking out towards mountain ranges and the Sleeping Indian.
The building is formed of two contrasting volumes. The first ‘living’ structure is transparent, open to panoramic views, and filled with natural light from sunrise to sunset. A substantial douglas fir frame provides a feeling of warmth and enclosure.
The second, taller, black timber-clad building contains more practical aspects of the home, including the bedrooms. Upstairs, tucked into the eaves, the library and guest rooms nestle under a tent-like vaulted roof.
A limited palette of natural materials and tactile elements were chosen to reflect the surrounding landscape. Oak flooring and hemlock ceilings, reminiscent of traditional cabins, contrast with expanses of frameless, thermally insulated glass. A contemporary home that both respects and takes advantage of its extraordinary setting.
