Lookout Point

In collaboration with CLL. Concept Lighting Lab, Faulkner Architects projected a house in the town of Truckee located in the Sierra Nevada mountains.

The 17-foot-high ceilings of the living room open to the South and Summit View; framed by a massive concrete Fireplace elevation to one side and a Media wall enclosed in a Walnut Case to the other. The lighting concept for the expansive, open and continuous space of the main living level, ensures the balance of daylight with electrical lighting, and the creation of welcoming destinations within. Achieved thru the integration of linear tracks, equipped with varied inserts for general and focused illumination beneath and complemented with low level lighting, emitted by plug-ins, ensure a warm and welcoming glow, close to the user.

The minimal materiality of volcanic basalt floors and walnut from old orchards in the nearby Sierra foothills continues the discipline of material. Consistent through the house, the quiet built environment is muted in color and tonality, which allows the landscape outside to be the focus. Sustainability is addressed in this project with a focus on energy retention through the choice of materials and systems. Mass-heavy concrete walls and radiantly heated stone floors, an R80 insulated roof, enhanced glazing, and high-efficiency mechanical and lighting equipment minimize energy loss and use. The exterior of concrete and steel is fire resistant and low maintenance.

Sleeping rooms are provided via a disciplined plan concealed behind a continuous wood screen and buried into the north slope of the site. In the most private zone of the house, a master suite is perched above with panoramic views to the Martis Valley. Here, like in the whole house, insulated 20-inch-thick concrete walls made from local sand and aggregate build a ground form that extends to roofs to enclose space. Full-height openings with structurally glazed sliding doors open the space to the prevailing southwesterly breezes. The concrete walls extend beyond the warm interior environment to give the exterior territories at each end.