Lift House is sited on a narrow property adjacent to a ski trail, on a Vermont mountainside. The footprint of the house is boomerang-shaped to fit the landscape, with sleeping spaces below and social spaces on the top floor to maximize views.
The reverse living arrangement is emphasized in the materiality and massing of the house. The lower volume of Lift House is a heavy, corten steel-clad form which anchors the house to the sloping mountainside and supports the floating form above. The garage and entrance doors are made invisible with flush steel panels, thus minimizing visual interruption and emphasizing the sculptural blocks of massing. A flush cedar deck and canopy overhead provide the only visual cues for the main entrance. On the ski trail side of the home, generous window openings provides light for the bedrooms and living spaces. A lower entrance allows for skiing in and out and an outdoor hot tub with a view of the trail offers another vantage point to enjoy the surroundings.
The upper portion of Lift House is a visually larger cedar-clad cantilevered structure. The cedar extends out to create a substantial hooded opening and covered deck for this floor, providing both shelter from the weather and privacy for the residents. This expansive form is composed of generous social spaces and large glazed walls with panoramic views of the Vermont landscape. A custom-designed dining table emulates and accentuates the central bend in the house and serves as a focal point for the social spaces within the home.
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