Rugged, Modern Homes in the Mountains

The living room looks out toward the two waterfalls that are also part of the property and the inspiration for its name. Artist Constantin Hapaianu made the coffee table and the stainless steel railings surrounding the staircase.

"Rather than trying to fit the furniture into the apartment, we decided to fit the apartment into the furniture," says architect Antoine Santiard. "However absurd this may seem, it immediately alleviated all the constraints linked to laying out tight spaces." The wool curtain dividing the space was made by a local company called Arpin. The custom track is by G-Rail.

The team reviewed twenty years of snowfall data to find an average that would dictate the height of the house’s base. They also extended the roof to protect both the front entrance and the deck—this way the family doesn’t need to worry about snow removal upon arrival or dealing with windows that won’t open.

The view of the snow-capped San Juan Mountains from Barry's office. Photo by Barry B. Doyle.