An Uplifting Family Retreat Boasts Breathtaking Views of the Tetons

Compact, contemporary, and site-sensitive, this elevated retreat takes cues from the Tetons’ geology and the textured willow scrub landscape.

Text by

Lucy Wang

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Blessed by stunning mountain views and an alluring wilderness all around, it’s little wonder that the project brief for this 13-acre site in unincorporated Teton County evolved from an elevated camping platform to a custom home designed to properly capture the drama of the site.

The dramatic peaks of the Grand Teton range loom large to the east of the property.

By the time the clients, an outdoorsy family of four from San Francisco, reached out to Sausalito and Los Angeles–based firm RO | ROCKETT DESIGN to fashion the quiet retreat, they had already completed a 90-foot square building pad on an elevated section of the property.

The owners had worked with the US Army Corps of Engineers to minimize impact on the site, located in a listed wetlands area.

"Being a wetland, the site is covered in roughly 10' tall willow brush, and a small creek crosses the site lined with rugged Aspen trees," explain the architects.

Consequently, the architects also aimed for a minimal building footprint.

"We designed a compact, efficient layout and looked to build ‘up’ instead of ‘out.’ This helped us stay light on the ground and allowed the primary programs of the house to rise above the willow scrub to take in all the site has to offer," explains the firm of the 3,300-square-foot home that appears to float above the landscape.

Rising out of the earth like a natural rock outcropping, the holiday retreat is clad in a combination of stained Western Red Cedar and stained Alaskan Yellow Cedar on the upper volume, while the lower is wrapped in stone veneer.

The exterior stone veneer around the base is built from Harris Stone and Hazelwood Ledge Stone.

Spread out across two floors, the design of the three-bedroom, three-bath house was largely shaped by careful site studies and the region’s diverse ecosystem that spans a seasonally fluctuating wetland to a pond with a winding spring creek to the south.

Covered porches overlook prominent views, while deep roof overhangs provide protection against the region's unforgiving weather.

"The Grand Tetons became visible to the east and the family could more easily observe the moose trekking through the property while perched above the vegetation," add the architects.

Floor-to-ceiling Lift/Slide doors by Weiland and clerestory glazing usher the outdoors in to the open-plan living and dining areas.

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The covered porch wraps around the east and south sides of the home to overlook Teton views, as well as the pond and creek.

To take advantage of expansive views, the main living area and master suite are located on the upper floor of the top-heavy house. Full-height glazing and a covered porch wraps around the raised volume.

Floor Gres Architech porcelain floor tiles (in Ash Gray) line the entry and lower level corridor.

"The material palette of earthen rock and stained wood attempts to tie the architecture to the tones, materials, and textures of the region, all to help create an architecture that is derived from the site," the architects conclude.