Mountain House

The Mountain House balances precise architectural geometry with rugged topography, creating a residence that simultaneously blends into and stands out from its wild environment. At the ground level, a series of carved vaults remove traditional indoor-outdoor barriers to form a sheltered porch where the structure meets the slope. This strategic carving allows the terrain to flow seamlessly around, beneath, and through the architecture, minimizing the cabin’s physical footprint while maximizing year-round engagement with nature. In contrast to the complex mountain landscape, the home’s main structure utilizes a clean, carved cube geometry that establishes a comforting, cultural presence against the raw geologic backdrop. This sense of security and architectural compression is further emphasized by unique, inverted bay windows clad in copper that appear gently pressed inward by the surrounding forest. The Mountain House also elevates functional sustainability into a visual statement through its roofline and water harvesting systems. Four exaggerated copper scuppers peel down each facade of the home, visually pulling the line of the sky down toward the earth while actively channeling rainwater into concealed cisterns. Through this intentional interplay of vaults, receding openings, and climate-responsive elements, the Mountain House represents an architectural expression linking land, sky, and domestic space set within the geologically wild.