US studio CLB Architects has created a retreat in rural Wyoming that has three wood-clad structures, with a creek running underneath the primary residence.
Located on a 35-acre (14-hectare) property near the town of Wilson, the home was envisioned as a series of "tectonic structures" set within a diverse ecosystem.
The ShineMaker home looks toward the Tetons, a mountain range that rises sharply from the Jackson Hole valley. The property features a pine forest and stands of aspens, which transition to a rolling meadow.
Composed of three distinct buildings – a main house, guesthouse and writer's studio – the project was designed for a California-based couple who manage an independent record label.
Both homeowners are also authors, and they desired a second home in rural Wyoming where they could write while immersed in nature.
Each building responds to its immediate setting.
The main house was "conceived as a geologic remnant in the landscape, located on the edge between field and forest". The other two buildings are tucked within the woods and feel more intimate.
Stretching horizontally from east to west, the main house is rectangular in plan yet more sculptural in form.
Local firm CLB Architects carved away portions of the 6,000-square-foot (557-square-metre) building to form recesses and openings. The roof is undulating, and the facades are clad in burnt wood.
"The main house appears to grab surrounding trees as anchors, sinking in the centre, and pulling upward toward the sky at the corners," the team said.
"Working in concert with the landscape, this dynamic quality further through the building's charred Shou Sugi Ban exterior, tugged and carved to create overhangs and openings."
Just west of the home's centre point, the building extends over a lowland creek. The floor plan was cut away here to form a courtyard-like opening, enabling water to flow unencumbered.
The ground floor includes public spaces, the primary bedroom suite, a garage and a gym, along with "an expansive mudroom for the client's Irish wolfhounds".
Upstairs, on the west side of the plan, there is a partial floor with a lounge and two additional bedroom suites.
Throughout the home, large stretches of glass offer sweeping views of the majestic terrain.
"Each window frames a view of the prairie and Teton Range beyond," the team said.
The interior was designed by San Francisco-based HSH Interiors, who drew upon the client's love of "comfort, layers and textures".
Rooms feature a blend of earthy and industrial materials. Bleached cedar, travertine, onyx and limestone are intermixed with concrete, steel and bronze.
Special features include a concrete fireplace surrounded by a tattoo-inspired basrelief and hand-painted wallpaper murals.
"The client's bohemian lifestyle and love of music, literature and the great outdoors were the inspiration behind the interior design," the team said.
"The earth-toned palette – with pops of mustard, blush and deep burgundy – is punctuated by collectible pieces, vintage finds and contemporary art."
The property's other two buildings are similar.
Totalling 1,577 square feet (147 square metres), the guest house has a rectilinear form and carved-away entrance. Inside, the team placed three bedrooms and a communal area.
The writer's studio rises two levels and contains 580 square feet (54 square metres).
"A two-storey sentinel surrounded by fledgling aspens, the structure includes a first-floor living space and a second-floor studio, where the occupant can be immersed in contemplation among the tree canopies," the team said.
A fourth structure is planned for the site and will have a spiritual function.
Based in Jackson, Wyoming, CLB Architects has designed numerous projects in the area.
Others include the sensitive update of a wood- and steel-clad house it created in 2003, and a house with three courtyards that represents a blend of Japanese and mid-century Californian architecture.
The photography is by Matthew Millman
Project credits:
Architecture: CLB Architects
CLB Architects team: Eric Logan (principal/partner), Andy Ankeny (principal/partner), Sam Ankeny (principal), Leo Naegele (project manager)
Interior designer: HSH Interiors
HSH Interiors team: Holly Hollenbeck
Contractor: KWC, Inc
Landscape: Hershberger Design
Lighting: Lux Populi
Civil engineer: Nelson Engineering
Structural engineer: KL&A
Mechanical engineer: Energy 1
Electrical engineer: Energy 1
Styling: SPI (Stephen Pappas)