BIG SKY RESIDENCE: Discovering a Geologic Past to Build a Family’s Future

Big Sky, Montana, USA

Firm: Design Workshop | Role: Project Manager | Years Active: 2021-2024 | Project Status: Under Construction

Nestled into the southwest Montana mountainside, the Big Sky Residence revels in the breathtaking views of the Madison mountain range evoking the awe of the Swiss Alps. Southwest Montana and the Swiss Alps share a similar cultural history steeped in infrastructure and nature. Both landscapes offer an idyllic vision of economic prosperity, immaculate farmland, and boundless acres of wilderness.

The striking similarities between the two locations sparked a focus on Swiss-inspired chalets and landforms for the Big Sky Residence design team. The architecture team honed in on a specific style of architecture with elongated roof overhangs and solid stone foundations. A portion of stone was sourced directly from Valser quartzite found in Switzerland. The stone’s sparkling surface, colorful swirled layering, and the quarry owner’s thoughtful extraction lay the physical and emotional foundation for the Big Sky Residence.

The team’s research uncovered a history of ancient seas once parting the state of Montana, mountainous ripples formed from the Great Falls Tectonic Zone, and mountain peaks born from subsurface magma. To pay homage to such a rich geological history, our design complemented the Swiss quartzite home foundation with locally sourced exterior stone. One of the state’s most recognizable stone boulders from outcroppings of the west-central Montana region, 150 miles from the project site, pepper the land. These boulders represent the site’s history dating back to the Cretaceous period. Weathering for millennia from rain, wind, and rock lichen species have left behind the boulders and breathtaking site we see today. Delicate boulder extraction and site placement bring together a rich history while protecting the longevity of the lichen in west-central Montana and their survivability on the project site.