Gold-Medal Vistas

Architect Bill Mammen designed this 7,000-square-foot vacation home so that its East Coast owners could experience the full beauty of the home’s rolling, 2-acre site overlooking Park City’s historic downtown district as well as enjoy a 270-degree view of the surrounding mountains.

Located in ski-chic Deer Valley Resort, one of the venues for alpine and freestyle skiing events in the 2002 Winter Olympics, this $3 million mountain home has an eagle’s-eye view of three local ski areas as well as charming downtown Park City, Utah.

Designed by architect Bill Mammen, the 7,000-square-foot home combines rustic finishes and materials and an open floor plan with strategically positioned windows that frame a 270-degree view of dramatic mountain scenery for its empty-nester owners. “I designed this home so that it would not detract from the original setting but make the site more beautiful and accessible than it was before,” Mammen says.

Although they use it today as a vacation retreat, the East Coast owners plan to make this spectacular home their full-time residence eventually.

Supported by battered drystack stone pedestals, peeled-bark log columns define the entry to this rustic yet luxurious vacation retreat in Utah’s ski country.

Exposed wood beams, natural stone accents and textured stucco walls contribute to the home’s Western look. All of the walls feature radius corners with the same gentle curves continuing on into the windows. This eliminates the need for conventional but distracting window casing, Mammen says.

“This house is the medium by which the mountains and the native hillside are experienced,” Mammen says of his design.

Maintaining accessibility in this three-level home was extremely important to his clients, who frequently entertain overnight guests, including elderly parents, he says. Unnecessary steps are eliminated on each of the home’s floors, which are connected by a single, central staircase. The home also features an elevator.

While this three-level home has plenty of room for family and friends to spread out, the main floor functions as its real heart.

The home’s lowest level is below grade at the front but opens up to offer dramatic views of the rocky hillside and surrounding forests at the rear. This floor includes four guest rooms, a media room and a spa deck.

The main level features an open design combining the living and dining rooms and kitchen into one large, interactive space that offers views in three directions. The boundaries of the kitchen are defined by a snack bar with seating framed by peeled-bark columns similar to others used throughout the interior.

Glulam beams serve as a predictable, stable and attractive alternative to traditional solid-wood beams for new construction.

The upper floor is reserved as a private retreat for the homeowners. The master bedroom includes a corner fireplace focal point, a luxurious bath and a spacious walk-in closet. Secluded office space on this level can be accessed from the main hallway or directly through the master suite.

The home also features numerous display niches for the owners’ collection of Southwestern art. Designing residences for a mountain community such as this one presents unique challenges, Mammen says. “You need to consider the sensitive ecology of the local mountain environment and at the same time be able to come up with a workable residence that accommodates the often rugged topography.”

The “outdoor experience” and charm of “mining town” Park City are what draw people to the area initially, Mammen says. “The typical scenario goes like this: Vacationers will purchase a condo and use it during ski season. Pretty soon they find that they are spending more and more time here, and the condo becomes too small. They decide to build a larger residence, find they love it and often decide to move to the area permanently.” This is the second Park City residence Mammen has designed for these clients.

Rustic wood beams, which support one of the two rear decks, mimic the surrounding trees. Serving as an extension of the living room, this deck overlooks the “natural” landscaping that makes the house seem more a part of the site than an addition to it.

Park City builder Steve Morgan says the demand for luxury mountain housing has risen dramatically in the past 10 years. “There has been tremendous growth in this market throughout the western United States,” Morgan says. “Part of the reason for this is the booming economy. There are a lot of people who can afford second and even third homes these days. Park City is also a very commutable city. Many professionals, including doctors, lawyers and airline employees, can choose to live here and travel to work elsewhere.”

Morgan’s firm builds primarily custom projects, averaging several multimillion-dollar residences per year. “It is not uncommon these days,” he says, “for some of these new homes to exceed $5 million.”

This project was completed in 2000.

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