Location : Stanley, Idaho – Sawtooth Mountains

Project Concept : Two mountain cabins, designed as cluster, echo an spatial relationship found in historic mining towns of Idaho. From a distance, the steep metal roof, reclaimed wood, and stone resonate with local vernacular. Close-up the design is challenged with new approaches to composition, assembly performance, and structure. The design is unrepeatable, in that it strategically frames the landscape from positions inside and out. Rather than providing a grand view, the landscape is interpreted through space and storytelling.

Project Values : Community Character , Solar Orientation , High-Performance Assembly .

Key Project Team : 

• Shane Humphrey
• George Nedelea , Sawtooth Contracting
• Trevor Brown , ICF Professional
• Kim Wilde , Mason
• Shane King , Natural Plaster Artisan

The Sawtooth landscape, long before it became a destination for visitors and Stanley residents, was home to Indigenous peoples. The ancestors of today’s Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, along with other Native communities, lived within and stewarded this region for generations, guided by an understanding of balance with the natural world.

The design of the Sawtooth Ridge Retreat was approached seriously with this history in mind. In fact, Jakub Galczynski has a background in Native American Studies. The design started by listening to the cliff, seeking harmony between shelter and landscape. The owner had camped on the lot prior and had a notable experience to share, which resulted in the smaller outlook cabin. It was a personal challenge to follow Native American philosophies, but this served as a guide to ground the cabin and develop a restrained space dedicated to strengthening one’s relationship to the Sawtooth landscape near and far.

Description : The project seeks historic continuity in massing, scale, and program. Yet to not mimic a historic structure, with purpose of contributing new strategies in cold-climate mountain design. I started with numerous personal Idaho experiences, pertained to historic towns and cabins. Regardless, every dirt road of Stanley, ID was re-walked to absorb the rustic vernacular and ethos of place.

Image Credit . Galczynski, University of Idaho Library, Estevan Chapa. 

The entry sequence is intentionally designed to frame Thompson Peak within the Sawtooth Mountain Range before one fully enters the space. Upon moving inside, the view is further experienced along the hallway, creating a sense of progression. As one advances, the entire Sawtooth Range is gradually revealed, culminating in a panoramic experience at the prominent corner window.

Sawtooth Ridge Retreat was designed and constructed with ICF ( insulated concrete form) assembly and MST rebar. This high performance building solution combines structural strength with continuous exterior and interior foam insulation. The assembly minimizes thermal bridging and significantly improves energy efficiency, nearly doubling standard framing insulation values. This results in stable indoor temperatures and reduced heating or cooling needs. The concrete core provides exceptional durability and resistance to extreme conditions.