THE DARK CHALET

Eden - Utah

Black Diamond


Located on Summit's Powder Mountain, this house is part of a community planned to bring together entrepreneurs and thought-leaders from around the world. It is both a private residence and a venue for events focused on addressing contemporary issues. The vision for the house is a black diamond nestled on the steep snowy mountain.

Our design’s small footprint and expansive upper level create spatial tension with the ground. A series of chunky, interconnected masses follows the natural slope of the mountain before lifting off of its contour to allow skiers to pass beneath. The exterior skin is a patchwork of matte and glossy black panels that form a layer of secondary articulation distinct from the massing they cover. Black glass solar panels are embedded into the glossy patches, allowing their function to disappear into the background.

The Mega-fireplace


The deep, virtually wall-less interior features a dark nested figure that organizes the space of the house. This figure contains a mega-scaled fireplace with embedded stairs connecting all levels of the house, yet it remains legible as an independent entity, separated by gaps from all things it touches. Echoing those of grand ski chalets and castles, the massive fireplace is an insistent presence in the main living room, simultaneously familiar and strange.

The project features a custom-designed, fully integrated solar panel system with commercial-grade capacity that will make the house 364% energy positive.

Location: Eden, Utah
Floor Area: 5,500 SF
Program: Single Family Residence
Client: Tom Buttgenbach + Sean Leffers
Client Rep: Charlie Patton
Project Manager: Dylan Weiser
Structural: Nous Engineering
Civil: Talisman
M&P: Shamim Engineering
Electrical: Arbrari Engineering
Sustainability Consulting: Argento / Graham
Geotech: Intermountain GeoEnvironmental Services, Inc
Landscape: Langvardt Design Group
Lighting: KGM Lighting
General Contractor: Benchmark Modern
Steel Fabricator: Steel Concepts
Envelope Fabricator: Southam Associates
Fireplace Fabricator: Parker Cook