Project: Martis Camp 506
Architects: Blaze Makoid Architecture
Location: California, USA
Area: 6,379 sq ft
Photographs by: Vance Fox & Henrybuilt
Martis Camp 506 by Blaze Makoid Architecture
Martis Camp 506 is truly a masterpiece of a home that was designed by Blaze Makoid Architecture. Set upon a slope, the house blends in with the surrounding landscape at all times thanks to the black stained cedar that was used on it. The impressive design of this home gets all the more impressive when you find out that the architects replanted every single tree that was cut down to make space for the residence. They really have put a lot of effort to minimize the construction’s footprint on the environment and that deserves some respect.
From the architects: “Martis Camp is a 2,200 acre multigenerational ski and golf club located between historic Truckee, California, and Lake Tahoe. Over 600 one to five acre single family lots are planned with small groups of lots being released at a time. This 6,000 square foot development project is sited on an acre of steeply sloping, wooded terrain, with phenomenal views of the Carson mountain range to the north and west. The placement and footprint of the house preserves the natural site features through minimal grading and tree removal.”
“Accessed from the lower part of the site, the house is a simple ‘L’, with the two wings linked by the double height glazed entry and stair hall, located at the intersection of the two geometries. A stone plinth mediates the steep pitch of the site creating both a cloistered parking court as well as a base on which the two story house rests.
High stone retaining walls along the high point of the site combine with a dramatically cantilevered roof to provide extensive, sheltered outdoor patio space that includes outdoor cooking, dining and living areas. These program elements surround the open plan great room that contains the living room, dining room, and kitchen. The den to the northwest projects out beyond the stone base, creating a secluded, glazed refuge and serves as a balance to the roof projection on the opposite side of the house.
Black stained cedar siding allows for the house to blend with the landscape during the summer and fall, and pose as a dramatic counterpoint to the snow cover through the winter months.”
