Paring back decades of haphazard additions to a 1960s mountain home revealed the purity of its original structure and the opportunity to restore and enhance the rustic ski chalet. Applying the wabi-sabi principles of seeing beauty in patina and imperfection, we have used reclaimed timber, local stone, and metals, alongside other sustainability strategies to create a very low-carbon house sensitive to the colors and textures of the landscape.

Experientially, La Muna is a place for family and friends to connect deeply with each other and with the environment. Surrounded by rocky mountains, wildflowers, aspen forests, streams, and the occasional bear, we have selected materials that merge with this environment, and designed indoor and outdoor spaces that immerse people in the world around them.

Although modest in scale, windows frame views in all directions, so residents feel part of something much bigger. Nearby trees and landmarks are celebrated through careful sizing and positioning of windows—their aperture and scale immersing people in the landscape, while providing protection from the elements.

Navigating building bylaws like a game of chess—paring back here, so we could add on there—we achieved a composition that supports an optimal life in this setting. Whether sitting with a book at a picture window, listening to wildlife from the outdoor hot tub, or sharing a meal around a fire, La Muna is about elevating the experience of Red Mountain.