February 14, 2020

An Idyllic Home that Bridges Indoors & Out (Sun Valley, ID)

SHAW MESA FAMILY RETREAT

Builder: Michael Doty Associates | mda-arc.com
Location: Sun Valley, ID
Square feet: 4,250
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 4.5

The marvelous family retreat located within the Sawtooth National Recreation Area harmonizes with the area’s natural, scenic, and pastoral characteristics. The owner requested that the design showcase the unobstructed panoramic view of the Sawtooth Mountains while respecting the sensitive mountain meadow site.

Three distinct yet connected volumes comprise the retreat. These parallel the site’s natural contours, which minimized excavation. The roof pitch matches the view angle to the peaks of the Sawtooth Mountains, allowing clear vistas to be enjoyed from deep within the main living areas.

Outdoor living areas inhabiting alcoved between the volumes and the generous terrace that surrounds the great room feature different microclimates to extend the comfortable use of outdoor space from early spring through late fall. A fire put on the terrace further extends the outdoor living season.

The dining room, recessed from the roof’s edge, permits the architect-designed dining table, which rests on casters, to roll out through the sliding doors to create an outdoor living room beneath the roof’s overhang.

A terrace atop the storage building affords a 360-degree viewing and stargazing platform to take advantage of the site’s location in the Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve. The architect and the design-build team created an idyllic space to entice family and friends to connect with each other and the enchanting surroundings.

DEDICATION

Dedication: The Lighting Designer on this beautiful home – Paul Donald Stoops, husband, father, grandfather, brother friends, and nearly 40-year member of the Wood River Valley community passed away in early 2020.

UNIQUE FEATURES

Low and no maintenance materials: aluminum clad wood, windows and doors, vertical and horizontal Shou Sugi Ban wood siding, natural Douglas Fir soffits, stained glulam beams, steel fascia, and corrugated metal roofing.