Faulkner Architects has designed this spectacular mountain home surrounded by a serene forest, situated in Truckee, a town in Nevada County, California. This dwelling is tucked into a luxuriant forest of Jeffrey and sugar pine mixed with white and red fir, this two-acre site sits at roughly 6,300 feet above sea level in the Martis Valley near the north shore of Lake Tahoe.

Gently sloped, the site falls toward the south with views to the Northstar California ski resort. The home’s simple rectangular plan is placed to minimize impact on the site, leaving a three-dimensional screen of 115 trees 60 to 90 feet tall surrounding it. The smaller second level contains sleeping rooms. 

DESIGN DETAILS: ARCHITECTURE Faulkner Architects CONTRACTOR Glennwood Mountain Homes INTERIOR DESIGNER Rory Torrigiani, Natalie Zirbel CIVIL ENGINEER Shaw Engineering STRUCTURAL ENGINEER CFBR Structural Group MECHANICAL / ELECTRICAL ENGINEER Sugarpine Engineering GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEER NV5 LIGHTING Faulkner Architects

An ebonized steel rainscreen built of three-inch-by-three-inch angles, spaced one inch apart repeats the texture and function of the bark of adjacent trees, protecting the vulnerable wood-framed portions of the house from a wildfire like a large spark arrestor.

The elongated south-facing rectangle collects solar energy in winter.

The 4,500-square-foot, four-bedroom house is fitted with radiant heat as well as enhanced glazing, mechanical electrical equipment, and insulation. Low maintenance contributes to sustainability.

Materiality and fenestration are ordered as dark light reversals that repeat the behavior of the forest. A concealed, directional entry builds time into the arrival sequence, extending and connecting the experience to the environment.

Movement in route to the entry point, parallel with the form, allows association with the dwelling before entering. Translucent green glass screens bathe the entrance in color that associates with the tone of the surrounding evergreen forest.

Inside, continuous south-facing sliding glass opens the living area to a covered deck that floats just above the ground, sans railing. Materials that are consistent throughout the house include cut basalt stone floors, unfinished reclaimed teak ceilings and floors, board-formed concrete, and white gypsum.

Polished galvanized steel panels at the fireplaces reflect images and movement of the inhabitants throughout the day.

“Inside, continuous south-facing sliding glass opens the living area — lined with reclaimed teak ceilings and floors and board-formed concrete — to a covered deck that floats just above the ground,” states the architect.

What We Love: This incredible house in the mountains is surrounded by a peaceful forest for a relaxed atmosphere. A seamless indoor-outdoor connection is created in the living area with continuous south-facing sliding glass doors. Skylights help to bring in additional natural light into this home, which is perfect during the winter months. We are loving the reclaimed teak ceilings and floors in the great room, adding warmth to the board-formed concrete fireplace wall.

Tell Us: What details in the design of this mountain dwelling do you find most intriguing? Let us know in the Comments below!

Note: Have a look at a couple of other incredible home tours that we have highlighted here on One Kindesign by the architects of this project, Faulkner Architects: An impressive forest house in Truckee with stunning design details and Amazing concrete mountain retreat in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Continuous recesses in the ceilings conceal light fixtures and fire sprinklers. Three-dimensional skylights wrap from the roof down the wall, allowing light to pour in and offering views of the stars at night.

Above: Large skylights help to flood the interiors with natural light.

Above: A view of the skylights from the exterior facade.

PHOTOGRAPHER Joe Fletcher Photography

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