A Museum-Like Glass Pavilion Brightens a Sprawling Jackson Hole Estate

CLB Architects’ contemporary revamp of a guest house amplifies the serene natural surroundings.

Text by

Alia Akkam

Photos by

Matthew Millman

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It’s been more than 20 years since a Phoenix–bred family craved a bit of fresh mountain air and bought 180 hushed acres of land in Jackson, Wyoming.

The entrance hall, full of natural light, sets a calming tone.

The kitchen anchors one end of the large living area; it's a white mass that seemingly floats.

The first four structures they commissioned—a log, stone, and timber lodge; an office/shop; a wine silo clad in oxidized steel; and a covered bridge—were all led by Eric Logan, principal at the local– and Bozeman, Montana–based architecture and design firm Carney Logan Burke. The latest addition to the compound is a 3,357-square-foot glass pavilion that was once an old, under-utilized dwelling.

"Our biggest challenge is that we followed the original footprint of the building," says Logan, pointing out that the planning process, including negotiations with Teton County because of the sensitive environment, took two years.

Inspiration is easily found in the earth-toned bedroom—from the trees just beyond the expansive glass.

Now that the kids have struck out on their own, this flat-roofed, two-bedroom guesthouse is the ideal size for the empty-nesting couple. "We scaled it down," Logan points out.

Window walls grace the north and south sides of the building, illuminating the open-plan living and dining area. A fireplace caps off one end of the long room.

On the short end of the L-shaped building there is a garage; the other end contains the peekaboo, glassed-in bedrooms, and the heart of the home, where the living, dining, and kitchen areas organically flow into one another.

Given the long, trusting relationship between the family and Carney Logan Burke, the couple were open to exploring a new design direction, one that shifted away from the classic rusticity they once embraced to modernism—and a home "that’s much more responsive to views and light," Logan points out.

Even the bathroom is enlivened by a direct connection to the outdoors.

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White oak, dressing the ceilings and floors, unifies the different spaces.

White oak ties the entire home together, as does a pierced steel screen that wraps around the glass and lends visual interest. Its pattern is derived from the appearance of a cottonwood grove, and Logan says it adds texture and softens the architecture.

From the outside, the screen reveals an earthy patina that is in natural dialogue with the wine silo.

The intricate metal curtain doubles as a work of art.

An up-close look at the metalwork. Cut into a pattern that channels nature, it casts dynamic shadows.

Rife with waterways, trees, and wildlife—there’s a herd of elk and a bald eagle’s nest on the property, for example—the serene grounds are both accentuated and undisturbed by the pavilion. Situated between two spring creeks, it "just blends into the landscape," says Logan.