Ski Right Into Lookout House’s Built-In Ski Run
A home whose site is a volcanic landscape and slope which allowed Faulkner Architects to design features unique to the property.
While living at Lookout House, the fun doesn’t stop when the ski resort closes. To end a long day on the slopes, the residents of the Truckee, California property designed by Faulkner Architects simply ski directly into the home’s built in ski run.
The dramatic run is a narrow slot within the house’s massing that is partially concealed by a steel plate for privacy.
The site itself had a significant influence on the design of the home, as it is built on a 20-degree slope at 6,300 feet above mean sea level. The area sits at the base of a three-million-year-old volcano and is home to second-growth Jeffrey Pine and White Fir trees.
Red-orange glass throughout the space references the color of cooling magma from the nearby volcano. The glass is a striking detail seen from the outdoors that also extends to the interior where the material casts a warm glow on the entrance and central staircase.
Bedrooms are buried into the site’s north slope for privacy. The master suite is tucked away in the most private zone of the house and features panoramic views of the Martis Valley.
Insulated concrete walls made from local sand and aggregate, volcanic basalt floors, and walnut from old orchards in the nearby Sierra foothills are the interior’s dominant materials.
Full-height openings in the concrete feature sliding doors that open up the space and allow for a deeper connection with the landscape.
Photos by Joe Fletcher.
