Mountainside Stellar Residences and Townhomes by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson

Mountainside Stellar
Mountainside Stellar
Photo © Nic Lehoux

Working with a progressive developer in the Lake Tahoe area, this collection of townhouses and single-family residences is a modern reinterpretation of the ski chalet.

Mountainside Stellar
Photo © Nic Lehoux

Conceived to be smartly efficient and compact in plan, these ski-in/ski-out homes are designed around social spaces that take advantage of breathtaking views to the ski slopes and Carson Range beyond.

Mountainside Stellar
Photo © Nic Lehoux

In considering the ideals of work-life balance and the needs of a modern, tech-savvy homebuyer, the client asked us to design a set of dwellings to challenge the concepts of the traditional mountain chalet.

Mountainside Stellar
Photo © Nic Lehoux

Though materials often found in conventional retreats—warm wood, glass, and natural stone—are used throughout these new mountainside homes, many elements have been modernized to provide a contemporary residence with a strong connection to nature, while also paying homage to the Lake Tahoe vernacular.

Mountainside Stellar
Photo © Nic Lehoux

Located in a dense forest of Jeffery pine and Douglas fir, two distinct dwelling types—residences and townhouses—embrace the edge of a shared ski slope.

Mountainside Stellar
Photo © Nic Lehoux

Celebrating outdoor-living with direct access to skiing, hiking, and biking, the six single-family units and 11 townhouses visually and materially engage their surroundings, emphasizing healthy living and environmental stewardship, as demonstrated in the project’s LEED for Homes certification design standards.

Mountainside Stellar
Photo © Nic Lehoux

Upon entering the residences from their upper level, occupants are drawn into an elevated world, with remarkable views of Martis Valley and Carson Range beyond.

Mountainside Stellar
Photo © Nic Lehoux

Large expanses of glass offer a visual and physical connection to the outdoors, bathing communal areas in soft northern light throughout the day and framing sunlit views of the Sierra Nevadas in the evening. The master bedroom, immersed in sunlight via three exterior walls of glass, floats over the ski slope, causing one to feel as if perched in the trees.

Mountainside Stellar
Photo © Nic Lehoux

The townhouses are compact and efficient, stepping down the mountainside while following the curve of the ski slope. The simple, shed-roofed volumes are vertically and horizontally offset, allowing for privacy and a feeling of distance between neighboring units. Utilities and storage are organized along shared walls, while bunks are slipped into interstitial spaces to accommodate seasonal overflow.

Mountainside Stellar
Photo © Nic Lehoux

A double-height light well carved through the buildings draws sunlight into the depth of the dwellings, creating an additional connection to the outdoors. These mountainside residences and townhouses offer reprieve from the working world with a specific emphasis on responsible, ethical development, and the promotion of ecological, sustainable design. Source by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson.

Mountainside Stellar
Photo © Nic Lehoux
  • Location: Northstar, Lake Tahoe, California, USA
  • Architect: Bohlin Cywinski Jackson
  • Design Principal: Greg Mottola
  • Project Manager: Denis Schofield
  • Designer: Reuben Alt
  • Project Team: Xander Ellenbogen, Katie Bouret, Rachel Estes, Meghan McAllister, Shawn Wood, Tina Lindinger, James Kirkpatrick
  • Structural: Holmes Culley
  • Mechanical/Plumbing: Point Energy Innovations
  • Electrical: Engineering Enterprise
  • Civil: Sierra Land Solutions, Welsh Hagen
  • LEED: Bender Engineering and Commissioning
  • General Contractor: SMC Construction
  • Owner: East West Partners/Mountainside Partners
  • Building Size Residences: 3,400 SF
  • Building Size Townhomes: 2,200 SF
  • Construction Cost Residences: $2M/unit ($12M overall)
  • Construction Cost Townhomes: $1.2M/unit ($13M overall)
  • Completion: 2016
  • Photographs: Nic Lehoux, Courtesy of Bohlin Cywinski Jackson

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