Project: Stirrup House
Architects: Olson Kundig
Project Team: Tom Kundig, FAIA, RIBA, Design Principal; Edward Lalonde, Project Manager; Jamie Slagel, Project Architect
General Contractor: Elias Construction
Civil Engineer: Galena Engineering
Interior Design: Lucas Design Associates
Location: Ketchum, Idaho
Area: 6500 square feet
Photography: Benjamin Benschneider, Aaron Leitz
This 6,500-square-foot home, which sits on a quiet cul-de-sac in Ketchum, Idaho between Bald Mountain and Dollar Mountain, was designed around the client’s collection of contemporary art alongside commanding mountain views. Throughout the Stirrup house, windows frame views of exterior artworks against the forested landscape beyond.
“This is a quiet, introverted home that establishes an intimate home life for the family, but can also accommodate the large-scale artworks in their extensive collection.” –Tom Kundig, FAIA, RIBA, Design Principal
Based on a Latin cross plan, this steel-and-wood-clad home consists of two main forms. The primary form contains the entry foyer and the open plan kitchen, dining, and living areas, along with two guest rooms below and two offices above on the second level. The secondary form completes the “T”-shaped plan, its steel-and-glass entry vestibule and glass-box master suite acting as the yin to the yang of the main house.
Entering the Stirrup house, a double-height foyer with a large art wall showcases a favorite painting by Lawrence Fodor titled Rain Forest, establishing the home’s dual emphasis on art and nature. An adjacent wall features pages from an art book published by the owner called Speak for the Trees, the individually framed images recalling in miniature the framed landscape views found throughout the home. An interior palette of exposed steel, concrete and wood supports the prominence of the owner’s curated art collection.
In the living area, a panel-formed concrete fireplace anchors the space inside, while also serving the exterior deck just outside, which floats out above the landscape. A second private, walled-in courtyard extending from the master suite allows residents to engage with the outdoors throughout the seasons. Art merges with nature even in the home’s exterior spaces, where several sculptural and two-dimensional artworks are installed.
“This project is truly an art house. Art is very much a part of the family’s lifestyle, so the home was designed to work at different scales depending on their constantly rotating collection of artworks.” –Tom Kundig, FAIA, RIBA, Design Principal
