Sugar Bowl snow house

Located in the Sugar Bowl Ski Resort, 2.5 hours northeast of San Francisco, this 5 bedroom ski cabin was designed for 3 generations to enjoy simultaneously.

Designed by Mork-Ulnes Architects was to create an alpine chalet building and lift it onto a concrete plinth to protect it from the snow. Located at an elevation of 2,000 meters, the building needs to withstand extreme snowfall that can exceed 20 meters.

Influenced by prevailing wind-drift direction and other climatic factors, the orientation shields the building from the street and directs views to a private stream and forest beyond. Living spaces are arranged along the open, south-facing facade to maximize solar exposure. Tar-treated wood siding recedes among the tree trunks of this wooded site, and at dusk the interior finished with minimally treated fir glows warm through the windows.

Images by BruceDamonte