Living in the mountains can be peaceful and magical. Mountains provide some of the most scenic landscapes and diverse ecosystems in the world. There’s fresh air and water, an abundance of plants and animals, and a peaceful simplistic way of life. But with these wonders also come inherent challenges in living in the remote mountains.
When you think about designing of a house in the mountains, you need to consider extreme weather patterns, uneven and sloping topography, limited site access and a variety of other constraints. For this reason, it is both difficult and inspiring to see so many amazing modern mountain homes around the world.
Clean lines, simplicity in forms and details, industrial materials, and an expressive, honest structure typically define modern homes. Modern mountain houses are no exception. These houses do however, have other distinguishing features that set them apart and exude a mountain home feel.
Coming to you from “The Mountain State”, albeit some very old mountains, we thought it would only be fitting to start off our blog by highlighting a few inspiring architectural projects and characteristics of modern mountain houses. We hope you enjoy!
Direct Connection to Nature
What we notice most about many of the designs of modern mountain houses are their ability to capitalize on the expansive views and to bring the outdoors in. People who choose to live in the mountains love nature. They love the environment, the fresh air, the views, and the tranquility. Incorporating architectural elements that bring the outdoors is paramount to many people’s design goals for mountain homes and an important feature of successful mountain homes.
Large expanses of glass offer panoramic views.
[Piedmont Residence in the Blue Ridge Mountains by Carlton Architecture. Image source: Carlton Architecture]
Decks and patio provide exterior access from almost any room of the house.
[House in Yatsugatake Mountains in Nagano, Japan by Kidosaki Architects Studio. Image source: Kidosaki Architects Studio]
Site-Specific Design to Preserve Nature
Another characteristic of many mountain houses is their strong emphasis on site-specific design for the preservation of nature. Architects typically perform a site analysis for any new project, but for those located in mountain regions, more emphasis is placed on preserving the natural surroundings, resources, and topographic features of the land. It’s important to the homeowners and its a large part of the reason they choose mountain living in the first place.
Thoughtful foundation designs accommodate uneven, hilly and rugged terrain.
[Encuentro Guadalupe Antiresort in Valle de Guadalupe, Baja California by Gracia Studio. Photo by Luís García.]
Small building footprint touches lightly on the land to preserve topographic features.
[Sonoma Mountain Guest House in the Sonoma Mountains, California by Nielsen Schuh Architects. Image source: Nielsen Schuh Architects]
Fitting snugly within the trees and minimizing disturbance shows a respect for the natural surroundings.
[Cabin at Lake Flathead in Polson, Montana by Andersson Wise Architects. Photo by Art Gray.]
Prefab houses can nestle amongst the trees with little site disturbance.
[Gambier Island House in British Columbia by Turkel Design. Photo by Patrick Barta.]
Simple, Durable Material Selections
The materials of many modern mountain houses are simple, durable, and low-maintenance. Material palettes oftentimes consist of stone, wood, copper, and weathered steel. These materials hold up to the extreme climate and require very little maintenance. They are thoughtfully chosen to integrate into the surrounding environment and have long life spans. For some projects materials can be harvested from the site itself or locally sourced, making the limited site access a little less daunting.
Durable, low-maintenance exterior materials can weather the elements and last longer.
[Aspen Creek Residence in Park City, Utah by Carney Logan Burke Architects. Image source: Carney Logan Burke Architects]
[Lake Tahoe Residence at Lake Tahoe, Nevada by Lake Flato Architects. Image source: Lake Flato Architects]
Materials commonly take cues from the surrounding landscape.
[JH Modern in Jackson Hole, Wyoming by Pearson Design Group. Image source: Pearson Design Group.]
An Eye Towards Sustainability
Because most mountain houses are in remote locations, the responsible design approach is to take advantage of the positive features inherent to the site and geographic location in order to reduce the demand on mechanical, electrical, and plumbing building systems. Thoughtful design considerations relating to building orientation, sun angles, locations of glazing, roof geometries, and construction type can lead to passive design strategies that create the opportunity for smaller equipment and lower energy bills. For remote sites with little or no utility hookup, this is a necessity. Designing an energy efficient and even off-the-grid house that provides its own source of power and potable water are possible as long as the users are educated in any behavioral adjustments that might be necessary to conserve resources.
PV panels and solar and solar hot water collectors provide electricity, domestic hot water, and space heating.
[Chalk Bluff Cabin in Nevada City, California by Arkin Tilt Architects. Image source: Arkin Tilt Architects]
Simple modern roofs can be sustainable. Green roofs are good insulators, improving the thermal performance of the roof and reduce the demand on the mechanical system. They also help with water retention, reducing storm water run off, and encourage biodiversity.
[House Ocho in the Santa Lucia Mountains, California by Feldman Architecture. Photo by Claudio Santini.]
The projects above demonstrate that thoughtful, responsible design thinking can lead to amazing modern mountain houses. That these houses show a sensitivity and respect to the environment show that good architecture and ecological design are not mutually exclusive, but are in fact one and the same.
[Featured image: Private residence in Vega, Norway by Kolman Boye.Photo by Lindman Photography.]
Really enjoyed how the modern mountain style has been described. I am building a house in the Pyrenees, in Europe, and to show the archtects your site has helped me transmit to them my ¨must haves¨ for the project.
Hi Alessandro, I’m so glad you found this article to be helpful in your own home design. Keep us posted on your progress and best of luck!
Building in ne Georgia with layered mountains around 2000 sq. Ft. Glass steel stone and concrete.