Truckee, CA

Thirty-five vacation townhouses at scenic Donner Lake. The steeply sloping site with large boulders, granite outcroppings, and dense tree growth posed the biggest challenge. The design maintains natural beauty, takes advantage of spectacular views, and limits costly foundation work. We selected a pole support system, in which buildings are suspended between poles above the ground, to minimize excavations in rocky soil and allow natural drainage.

Meandering pathways go under several buildings, across small streams, and among massive boulders. Buildings are stepped at different levels to accommodate the sloping site and to take advantage of views. Vehicular traffic is kept to upper and lower edges of the site with access from existing roads there. Covered parking is provided under some units and in several common garages.