boar shoat

Before social-distancing became in vogue, the owner of the Boar Shoat [a family term for youthful vivacity] was looking for some isolation - not to get away from a pandemic, but to gain distance from the clamor of city living.

Intended as a crash pad and base camp, three small structures gather under an open air pavilion, encapsulating the client's main concept for the project - a spartan shelter within the Bear River range.

Central to the project is a large outdoor living space under an expansive canopy that protects it from the weather. The triad of small structures (consisting of residence, guest quarters and utilitarian storage) flank this outdoor living room on three sides acting as windbreaks and framing views of Paris Peak.

With no utility connections for miles, the self-sustaining retreat is designed with energy in mind, using passive solar strategies, for free energy from the sun during the winter, and roof overhangs have been calculated for summer shading. Electricity and heat are provided by a photovoltaic array with battery storage.