Site size: 1 acre

Project size: 6,000 square feet

Program: The five-bedroom house is located on a heavily wooded, steeply sloping site within a 2,200 acre multigenerational ski and golf club.

Location: The mountainous region between Truckee and Lake Tahoe in California.

Solution: The building’s L shape forms an entry court that screens the neighbors to the north, south, and west from car headlights in the evening.  One arrives at the crux of the L at the upper floor, which houses the master suite and shared spaces. A stone fireplace separates the great room from the dining room and kitchen, all of which share an expansive glass wall providing uninterrupted views of the Carson Mountain Range. Beyond the glass is an outdoor deck/lounge designed for entertaining, complete with fire pit, freestanding grill and infrared heaters to provide warmth on chilly evenings.  A board-formed concrete lower floor emerges at the rear of the house as the property slopes downhill.  This volume is pulled away from the mountain view side of the shared spaces, creating a large terrace plinth for outdoor entertaining.  By placing this floor, which comprises guest bedrooms, laundry, and an outdoor deck, downslope, the house appears as a one story structure upon arrival, maximizing the ability to see over and beyond.

Construction and materials: Wanting to keep a low profile to the house, the strategy was to address the roof as the primary driver of form. The roof gently rises from grade— where it encompasses utilitarian spaces such as the mudroom and garage—then wraps the site until achieving its highest point where the shared spaces face the valley and mountain range in the distance. The black metal roof and black stained cedar siding were chosen for their ability to visually recede and blur the definition between horizontal and vertical surfaces.

 

Additional Information

Completion date: August 2016

Gross square footage: 6,000 square feet

Total project cost: withheld

Total construction cost: withheld

Client/Owner: withheld


 

Credits

Architect:

Blaze Makoid Architecture
PO Box 436
Sagaponack, NY 11962
Phone: 631-537-7277
Fax: 631-537-7188


Personnel in architect's firm who should receive special credit:

Frank Guittard R.A.
Jonathan Kayton, R.A.

 

Interior designer:

John Giacomazzi

 

Engineers: Gabbart and Woods Structural Engineers, Principal engineer Dooley Riva

Civil Engineer: Ferrell Civil Engineering, owner Tim Ferrell, Project manager Bobby Groza

Geotechnical Engineer: HOLDREDGE & KULL

     
General contractor:

Heslin Construction

 

Photographer:

Courtesy Martis Camp Realty

 

Consultants

Landscape: Tahoe Landscaping

Lighting: Blaze Makoid Architecture/John Giacomazzi

 

 

 

Specifications

Structural System

Wood structure with steel structure where required

Exterior Cladding

Masonry: Cedar siding, board form concrete, glass guardrails

Roofing

Metal: Metal roofing; Custom fabricated aluminum vertical seam panel roofing with striations.  Painted kynar finish.

Windows

Metal frame: Weiland and Sierra Pacific brand aluminum clad exterior

Glazing

Skylights: Velux

Doors

Wood doors: High Sierra

Special doors: Bookcase door to hidden room beneath the staircase by Sierra Craftsman

Hardware

Other special hardware:  Emtek interior door hardware; Henrybuilt casework hardware produced by Henrybuilt; Additional millwork hardware provided by Sierra Craftsman

Interior Finishes

Paints and stains: Paint by Benjamin Moore

Wall coverings: Cole and Son Hicks Hexagon Wallpaper

Special surfacing: Marble slab for master bathroom vanity

Floor and wall tile: Tiles: Silver Quartzite Island stone; Da Vinci Marble; Heath Ceramics

Carpet: Norman 2777 Franklin Wool berber carpet

Special interior finishes unique to this project: Casework by Henrybuilt; Millwork by Sierra Craftsman; Caesarstone countertops used for bathroom vanitie; Paperstone used for living/dining room casework countertops; LG Hi-Macs kitchen countertop arctic white

Lighting

Interior ambient lighting: Lutron Radio RA lighting control system; Control 4 home automation system

Energy

Energy management or building automation system: Lutron electronic shading devices; Ortal gas fireplace