CLB Architects wraps Caju House in Wyoming in weathering steel
American studio CLB Architects has completed a holiday house near a ski resort that features a mix of earthy and industrial materials and focuses on "essentials rather than excess".
The Caju House was built for a young family from Miami, who set out to create a "serene retreat" at the base of the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Wyoming.
They purchased one of the last underdeveloped lots in Teton Village, a site with rugged topography and immersive views of the mountains and Snake River Valley.
They tapped local firm CLB Architects to create a tranquil home that offered a strong connection to the environment.
"With roots in Brazil and a deep appreciation for the outdoors, they envisioned an intimate and welcoming house where their family and occasional guests could connect and unwind," the team said.
"Their brief emphasised living simply – a home designed for the essentials rather than excess – grounded in practicality and natural materiality."
For the gently sloping site, the architects conceived a dwelling composed of two bars – one long, one short – that form an L-shape plan.
The long bar is topped with a gabled roof and contains two levels, while the shorter one has a flat roof and one level.
The short bar extends toward the hillside and is partly supported by columns, enabling it to touch down lightly on the earth.
The massing responds to the specific site conditions.
"The heavily wooded and boulder-strewn lot required a sensitive design approach, minimising tree removal and site disturbance," the team said.
"The resulting structure is both embedded in and hovering above the landscape."
Exterior walls are clad in Corten steel, a material that influenced the house's name. Caju – cashew – is a Brazilian fruit with an orange shell, similar in colour to the weathering-steel facades.
Carved-out sections within the exterior are lined with larch, which helps "highlight the home's sculptural form".
"Materiality is at the core of the project's identity, with a palette restricted to steel, wood and concrete," the team said.
"These durable and humble materials were chosen for their ability to age gracefully and for their inherent beauty."
Within the 3,250-square-foot (302-square-metre) home, one finds cosy rooms and large windows.
The ground level contains a garage, mudroom, laundry room and gym. Upstairs, where the views are best, the team placed the communal spaces, a primary bedroom and three additional bedrooms.
The floors are linked by a staircase set within a perforated stainless steel structure, which allows light to filter through.
For the interior finishes, the team used a mix of earthy and industrial materials.
The same larch used outdoors continues inside, where it clads walls and ceilings. It was also used to create built-in furniture, helping establish a "holistic interior environment".
The wood is paired with concrete floors and stainless-steel accents, which lend a "refined edge" to the material palette.
Several outdoor spaces strengthen the connection to the environment, including a recessed balcony off the kitchen and a rear deck made of metal grating.
A cutout in the deck makes room for a pair of aspen trees, which are rooted below and grow up through the opening.
CLB Architects has completed numerous projects in Wyoming, including a three-part, wood-clad residence with a creek running underneath and a house near the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort that took cues from Swiss chalets and vernacular design.
The photography is by Matthew Millman.
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