Multi-Family Projects

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West View Terrace

Project Description:
Location: Ketchum, Idaho
Size: 16,700 SF
Site: 8,200 SF
7 Unit Condominium

Challenge:
This new condominium project tackles the challenge of designing a contemporary structure in a town that has strict design guidelines. These guidelines are in place to protect the largely traditional character of this high desert, mountain ski resort town in Sun Valley, Idaho. Westview Terrace is a 7 unit condominium, located in Ketchum Idaho, within the downtown Community Core. Ketchum sits at the center of Sun Valley, the first ski resort in the country.

The design guidelines protect the largely traditional western style, storefront architecture that predominates in the town. They also protect the rhythm of the street, the height of the buildings and the desire for a traditional base, middle and cap to the buildings. Another restriction is that no façade can have an uninterrupted surface longer than 55 feet and the height is controlled by a restricted volume. The top can resemble a complex hyperbolic paraboloid tensile structure, governed by measuring the maximum height at all points around the building, from the original grade. This site faced that challenge as it sloped east to west and south to north. Further, a FAR of 1.4 and 12’ setbacks above the second floor all serve to make the maximization of premium priced land such as this, a challenge. Additional challenges are providing on-site parking, open space and building setbacks on a downtown site. This is especially punitive on corner sites such as this.

Many of the recent buildings constructed in Ketchum have fallen prey to the heavy lodge pole and log architecture that has dominated western resorts for over the last 20 years. These examples tend to have very thick roof structures with exaggerated ridges and a preponderance of logs pretending to be the structure of the buildings that result in large lodge poles piercing through the structure at the eves and ridges and often framing large, monumental entrances.

Solution:
The final unit count of 7 units was driven by the practical consideration of meeting on site parking requirements. The building comes within 17 SF of the maximum FAR and with its own version of base, middle and cap and articulated facades, meets the intent of the Design Guidelines. The design recognizes its corner location with a semi-circular form on the corner that anchors 2 floors of outside terraces and supports a shading pergola on the upper level. The shed roofs rise to the west, allowing the best possible views of the mountain, while shedding their snow and rain to the rear of the property.