A concrete-and-steel cabin close to Yellowstone.

Think “mountain escape,” and you might picture a log home nestled in the pine trees. But this client had a dream: To craft a contemporary steel-and-concrete custom home that stands out from the landscape but also brings the views inside.

Our design inspiration? The spectacular sight of Pioneer Peak and the surrounding mountains. Metaphorically embracing the ruggedness of the site, the Yellowstone home is composed of corten steel and board-formed concrete. The entrance to the home appears to be carved out of a concrete wall and echoes the boulders strewn about the area. This wall cleaves the house and extends into the landscape to form an impressive visual structure. The concrete is colored to blend in with the landscape and the corten steel makes the home appear to be an outgrowth of the land.

The home’s massive Great Room features 16-foot high, floor-to-ceiling windows that are as majestic as the vistas they reveal. Warm-toned concrete floors and a blackened stainless steel stair railing carry the exterior design into the interior for a seamless design aesthetic, and a continuous band of clerestory windows in the living room floods the home with light from four sides. 

Sophisticated details like square glass cutouts on the steel door let in light and add warmth and softness to the harsh terrain. Insulation behind rich oak panels help dampen the sound inside the home. Two different ceiling heights add contrast to the interior spaces and create a subliminal reminder of the mountainous skyline.

The greatest achievement with a home like this is knowing that our clients love it and consider it their own personal oasis within the wilderness.