Avalanche Architecture: The Surprising Structure Behind a Contemporary Ski Chalet

Upon first glance, Avalanche Chalet appears to be an elegant but cozy ski retreat. However, there is more to the design than meets the eye. Behind the elegant dark wooden façade and bold aesthetics are particularly progressive engineering strategies that imbue the structure with remarkable resilience: the building was designed to withstand the force of possible avalanches.

Given that city regulations prohibit the diversion of potential avalanches onto neighboring properties, this is no small feat. Factor in the narrow site’s 45-degree slope, which significantly increases the force of snow hitting the roof directly, and the stakes of the design become even more awe-inspiring.

Farmer Payne Architects, the firm behind the clever design, had to devise a scheme that would allow monumental snowslides to pass entirely overtop of the structure, and their solution resulted not only in a defensive design but one that is also handsome, offering its inhabitants new ways to relate to their stunning surroundings.

Avalanche conditions are trigged by a combination of weather conditions with snow fall patterns and ice layering in a mountainous terrain. Historically, humans have developed strategies for constructing in avalanche-prone areas. While avoiding high-risk sites is an obvious technique, nature also inspires solutions, including building into hillsides and creating wedge-shaped structures. Farmer Payne Architects drew on some of these precedents, but also innovated while tailoring the program to the clients’ needs, resulting in a home that appears open and airy, rather than bulwarked.

Materially, it turns out, nature also knows best. Wood may not be the first material that jumps to mind when thinking about extreme weather preparedness, yet it was precisely because of the structural challenges presented by the mountainous site that Farmer Payne Architects ultimately chose to use Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) for the roof (Structurlam’s product is sourced from sustainably managed forests).

Since this was the firm’s first foray in designing for avalanche conditions, in addition to being their debut design featuring CLT, from the beginning Avalanche Chalet was conceived as a very collaborative project. Experts in fabrication, structure, concrete subs, and more were brought into the design process early. This approach speaks to Farmer Payne Architects’ openmindedness, not only avoiding bringing any pre-conceived ideas to a site where they don’t belong, but also seeking creative solutions through external teamwork. In the case of Avalanche Chalet, the work of Maxwell Structural Design Studio, the project’s structural engineer, was pivotal.  

Though structurally comparable to steel and concrete, CLT is lighter, and thereby lent itself to the project’s bold aesthetics, among which are jaw-dropping cantilevers. Indeed, the home’s large wooden panels are built into the adjacent bedrock, anchored by a steel superstructure and a concrete base. In affixing the structure to the land, the site’s steep slope was transformed from hindrance to helper.

Meanwhile, this distinct design approach — embracing natural challenges rather than fighting them — led to a building that was not only safe, but also offers a space for elevated living. For example, the stunning outdoor patio spaces set the house apart from typical chalet design in avalanche-prone areas. An outdoor living area at home’s rear is anchored by a 22-inch-thick (55-centimeter) concrete avalanche wall that delineates a private entertaining haven.

“For Avalanche Chalet, we peeled the house away from the avalanche wall/hillside, and we were able to provide covered outdoor space on the front and back,” Aaron Belzer, an associate at Farmer Payne Architects, explains. This design move was part of a larger planning and articulation strategy that involved rotating the home’s entire volume to provide expansive views of the nearby Bald Mountain whilst allowing the structure to be enclosed with floor-to-ceiling glass sliding doors connecting to various outdoor spaces.

To have protected outdoor patio space and such incredible views in a project like this — that is, one with such a complicated site — is no small feat. In fact, “all the houses on that street are built on the hillside with no windows on the back of the house, utilizing a very one-sided design,” the designer adds. Tucking the building entirely into the hill would have been the traditional approach, but, exemplified by the beautiful outdoor space, the decision to deviate from tradition paid in dividends.

Meanwhile, though the project’s location in an avalanche zone may have influenced many of the material decisions, it certainly didn’t determine them — the designer’s bold design approach takes structural necessity as a jumping off point for developing a site-specific design language. For example, though the use of concrete was almost inevitable, the choice to leave it exposed was not. From the inside to the outside, exposed board-form concrete evokes the feeling of a more traditional wooden chalet in a contemporary design language, rhyming with the character grade white oak ceiling inside.

Similarly, though the mountainous dangers of avalanches may have informed the structural logic, on the other side of the same coin, the spectacular views were also major informants for the architects. Key programmatic decisions, such as pushing public spaces upstairs while leaving the entry on the lower level, led to a stunning staircase set alongside the board form concrete wall.

The project’s interior, designed in collaboration with Suede Studio, features a boldly dark modern aesthetic that contrasts dramatically with the surrounding white slopes: “We wanted to highlight a strong connection between internal and external spaces,” the firm states. So, in collaboration with the homeowner, they opted to use white oak for the flooring, ceiling, soffit and cabinets, sourced from Henderson, nearby in Boise, Idaho. This detailing decision “provides depth and speaks to the surrounding views while also providing warmth and contrast to the concrete and steel used in the material palette.”

The deft architectural expression belies the surprising fact that this was not only the firm’s first time tackling a design capable of withstanding an avalanche, but it was also their first time working with CLT. Working on the project, they learned the many benefits of working with the material. In particular, it’s efficient installation was a boon to the construction timeline; opting for prefabricated panels ensured that the roof was completed in a single afternoon.

To this end, “every design detail was thoroughly thought out, even down to the open web trusses,” their team explains. Likewise, the parallel chords, sourced from RedBuilt in Boise, Idaho, were “intentionally selected so the mechanical systems could be easily accessed and installed.” Again, all of these decisions came from an early decision to draw on external expertise though a close collaboration with Maxwell Structural Design Studio.

The specifics of this design (the progressive engineering techniques as well as the aesthetics) fit into Farmer Payne Architects’ overarching architectural design approach. The boutique residential architecture firm, which has studios in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Sun Valley, Idaho and Shreveport, Louisiana, demonstrates that the best designs are achieved through building strong relationships between creators, users, planners, manufacturers, engineers and builders.

The home’s bold aesthetics and function embodies the Farmer Payne Architects’ firm philosophy; the way that their designs are highly site specific, which comes with a fearlessness and an openness to experimentation and collaboration with external experts to find what works best for the client and site. The design team put it best, saying: “It’s what makes our job fun and interesting every day.” Indeed, their deep level of engagement and pleasure in the process is evident in built details of Avalanche Chalet.

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To see more of Farmer Payne Architects’ bold yet timeless work, visit the firm’s in-depth Architizer profile.

This article was produced in partnership with Farmer Payne Architects as part of an A+Awards special feature series. The firm was named Finalist in the Best Small Firm (6-15 employees) category in the 12th Annual A+Awards. 

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