Jackson Hole Architecture
Historically, building in the West has centered around two simple ideas: Build with materials at hand, and build structures strong enough to survive the extreme climate.
Although building styles have advanced dramatically, the same principals are practiced today.
The West was settled by those who desired a new beginning. Early settlers – many from the East Coast and before that Great Britain and Europe – brought with them the building techniques of their ancestors. Their knowledge of log construction literally built the American West, from simple cabins to timber frame barns and lodges. The basic techniques of stacking and locking together structural pieces remain important in Western architecture today.
The earliest homesteaders built cabins from the straight logs of the indigenous pine forests, packing the joints with mud and finishing the roofs with sod. These were the first shelters of the western pioneers. As the West’s promise of free land and easy wealth in the mines of the Rockies attracted more people, access to saw-milled lumber, tools and equipment became more prevalent. With this growing sense of civilization, people no longer wanted rugged wilderness homes, and western towns began to change.
But log homes remained popular. Perhaps it is an effort to recapture the idyllicism and simple beauty of a rustic cabin in the woods. Of course, the modern version of the log cabin is rarely simple or rustic. The grandeur of a log structure can now be limited only by the designer’s imagination.
The Growing West
The Mountain West has seen a steady boom in communities like Jackson Hole, Aspen, Sun Valley and Park City. Each destination beckons a certain kind of new pioneer. Even with large numbers of summer visitors, Jackson Hole still represents the ideals of isolation and sanctuary. The valley in the shadow of the Tetons is known for its breathtaking views, world-class skiing and access to wilderness. Over the years, community planners have tried to anticipate growth problems. Teton County has avoided glaring disruption to its landscape by limiting ridge building and applying square footage parameters.
Many new residents to Jackson Hole come to an architect with predetermined ideas for their western home. They imagine the rugged character of a log home, the rustic elegance of a timber-frame lodge, and, more and more lately, a contemporary blend of new technology with traditional materials. The desire to use natural materials remains: the warmth of wood, the weight of stone, the openness of glass to frame views. These new western homes are a reflection of their owners and their desires to become a part of the American West.
Log Construction
Gone are the simple log cabins of our earliest settlers. But their ghosts remain to guide this new era, helping to create homes and commercial buildings that reflect the strength and spirit of the frontiersmen. Although technology has changed to include stripped and milled log systems, and more resilient products for chinking and insulation are available, the process of building a log home still depends on the time-tested methods of stacking logs and saddle notching the corners.
Traditionally, a log builder sets each building by hand at the log yard to assure tight fitting joints before final installation on the foundation. Log construction remains structurally simple, but is now limitless in its scope of shape and size. The wall is still a system of stacked and/or cantilevered logs with a roof supported by log purlins. Through a process of truss construction similar to timber framing, there is really no limit to the height of the interior space. One of the most famous examples of this is the open, eight-story lobby of the Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone National Park. Windows and doors are often cut in after the walls are erected.
In the end, it is the log itself that attracts people to this type of home; the grand scale and the sight, smell and feel of the wood combines for a warm glow and sense of enduring comfort.
Timber Frame
The Old World appeal of a timber frame lodge also has its place in the new architecture of Jackson Hole and the West. The rustic charm of hand-hewn beams, the intricacy of exposed beam work, and the starkness of plaster walls are all part of the appeal of this style.
The popularity of timber frame has created a new industry in recycling as many of these homes are built from timber reclaimed from old barns, warehouses and factories. Usually, the entire frame of such a building is set before a wall or roof shingle is applied; often the homes are at their most beautiful in their skeletal form.
Blending Styles
In this age of technology and with the building surge in the West, more and more blended frameworks are seen: the log, with its western, folkloric weight, and the timber frame with its lightness and grandeur. Alone, each method lends itself to a distinctive aesthetic; together, they create the new and unique architecture of the New West.
Great expanses of glass, the intimacy of a stone hearth, smooth crisp granite countertops and tiles from all over the world result in a refined textural experience. With additional advances in the appearance and efficiency of plumbing fixtures and appliances, there is no limit to the luxury of a new home, even in the isolation of the West.
Some homeowners and architects have attempted to take these building systems even further. Designers still reference the folkloric images of the early West but are now moving away from the stereotypes of the log cabin. Familiar now are the clean lines of low-pitched roofs, bands of windows, purposeful use of stone and more common materials such as galvanized metal and clapboard siding, as seen on regional ranches and homesteads. Other western structures provide other influences – grain silos, barns, Indian lodges, snow fences, even mining sheds. Some would call these new buildings modern or contemporary, but their roots are rich in history.
After a rush of new building during the past 20 years, it has been said that the over-complicated log cabins have at last past the climax of their popularity. Then again, the image of the simple log cabin in the western landscape will always remain a symbol of the western lifestyle – living free and wild. Building supplies are no longer limited to what is readily available. Lumber is now trucked from coast to coast. And technology has brought us advances in materials and finishes that can withstand all matters of inclement weather.
The winds of Wyoming and the West do not penetrate our homes as they did a century ago. Yet the tested history of design and structural techniques of log and timber building always will remain essential to the western architectural experience.
Although building styles have advanced dramatically, the same principals are practiced today.
The West was settled by those who desired a new beginning. Early settlers – many from the East Coast and before that Great Britain and Europe – brought with them the building techniques of their ancestors. Their knowledge of log construction literally built the American West, from simple cabins to timber frame barns and lodges. The basic techniques of stacking and locking together structural pieces remain important in Western architecture today.
The earliest homesteaders built cabins from the straight logs of the indigenous pine forests, packing the joints with mud and finishing the roofs with sod. These were the first shelters of the western pioneers. As the West’s promise of free land and easy wealth in the mines of the Rockies attracted more people, access to saw-milled lumber, tools and equipment became more prevalent. With this growing sense of civilization, people no longer wanted rugged wilderness homes, and western towns began to change.
But log homes remained popular. Perhaps it is an effort to recapture the idyllicism and simple beauty of a rustic cabin in the woods. Of course, the modern version of the log cabin is rarely simple or rustic. The grandeur of a log structure can now be limited only by the designer’s imagination.
The Growing West
The Mountain West has seen a steady boom in communities like Jackson Hole, Aspen, Sun Valley and Park City. Each destination beckons a certain kind of new pioneer. Even with large numbers of summer visitors, Jackson Hole still represents the ideals of isolation and sanctuary. The valley in the shadow of the Tetons is known for its breathtaking views, world-class skiing and access to wilderness. Over the years, community planners have tried to anticipate growth problems. Teton County has avoided glaring disruption to its landscape by limiting ridge building and applying square footage parameters.
Many new residents to Jackson Hole come to an architect with predetermined ideas for their western home. They imagine the rugged character of a log home, the rustic elegance of a timber-frame lodge, and, more and more lately, a contemporary blend of new technology with traditional materials. The desire to use natural materials remains: the warmth of wood, the weight of stone, the openness of glass to frame views. These new western homes are a reflection of their owners and their desires to become a part of the American West.
Log Construction
Gone are the simple log cabins of our earliest settlers. But their ghosts remain to guide this new era, helping to create homes and commercial buildings that reflect the strength and spirit of the frontiersmen. Although technology has changed to include stripped and milled log systems, and more resilient products for chinking and insulation are available, the process of building a log home still depends on the time-tested methods of stacking logs and saddle notching the corners.
Traditionally, a log builder sets each building by hand at the log yard to assure tight fitting joints before final installation on the foundation. Log construction remains structurally simple, but is now limitless in its scope of shape and size. The wall is still a system of stacked and/or cantilevered logs with a roof supported by log purlins. Through a process of truss construction similar to timber framing, there is really no limit to the height of the interior space. One of the most famous examples of this is the open, eight-story lobby of the Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone National Park. Windows and doors are often cut in after the walls are erected.
In the end, it is the log itself that attracts people to this type of home; the grand scale and the sight, smell and feel of the wood combines for a warm glow and sense of enduring comfort.
Timber Frame
The Old World appeal of a timber frame lodge also has its place in the new architecture of Jackson Hole and the West. The rustic charm of hand-hewn beams, the intricacy of exposed beam work, and the starkness of plaster walls are all part of the appeal of this style.
The popularity of timber frame has created a new industry in recycling as many of these homes are built from timber reclaimed from old barns, warehouses and factories. Usually, the entire frame of such a building is set before a wall or roof shingle is applied; often the homes are at their most beautiful in their skeletal form.
Blending Styles
In this age of technology and with the building surge in the West, more and more blended frameworks are seen: the log, with its western, folkloric weight, and the timber frame with its lightness and grandeur. Alone, each method lends itself to a distinctive aesthetic; together, they create the new and unique architecture of the New West.
Great expanses of glass, the intimacy of a stone hearth, smooth crisp granite countertops and tiles from all over the world result in a refined textural experience. With additional advances in the appearance and efficiency of plumbing fixtures and appliances, there is no limit to the luxury of a new home, even in the isolation of the West.
Some homeowners and architects have attempted to take these building systems even further. Designers still reference the folkloric images of the early West but are now moving away from the stereotypes of the log cabin. Familiar now are the clean lines of low-pitched roofs, bands of windows, purposeful use of stone and more common materials such as galvanized metal and clapboard siding, as seen on regional ranches and homesteads. Other western structures provide other influences – grain silos, barns, Indian lodges, snow fences, even mining sheds. Some would call these new buildings modern or contemporary, but their roots are rich in history.
After a rush of new building during the past 20 years, it has been said that the over-complicated log cabins have at last past the climax of their popularity. Then again, the image of the simple log cabin in the western landscape will always remain a symbol of the western lifestyle – living free and wild. Building supplies are no longer limited to what is readily available. Lumber is now trucked from coast to coast. And technology has brought us advances in materials and finishes that can withstand all matters of inclement weather.
The winds of Wyoming and the West do not penetrate our homes as they did a century ago. Yet the tested history of design and structural techniques of log and timber building always will remain essential to the western architectural experience.
