Just an hour north of Salt Lake City, Powder Mountain is a hidden gem among Utah's more famous ski resorts. At 10,000 acres, it's one of our nation's largest ski areas, and now the mountain's newest owners—a group of young tech entrepreneurs—have begun construction on a contemporary alpine village that's attracting big money and bold-face names (think Richard Branson and Tim Ferriss). With buildings by acclaimed architects like Marmol Radziner, Olson Kundig, and MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects, the Summit Powder Mountain village promises sprawling views of the Great Salt Lake and a stunning organic modern aesthetic.
Die-hard skiers have been enjoying Powder Mountain's exceptional terrain for decades, but the new village, which is expected to be operational by 2022, aims to attract a year-round community of thought leaders—from artists and activists to scientists—who will rub elbows at yoga studios and juice bars in a Burning-Man-meets-Davos type of atmosphere. To help build this kind of place, designers are held to strict guidelines that aim to thwart overdevelopment. For example, houses must remain under 4,500 square feet (an additional 1,000 square feet of living space is allowed underground), prioritize natural materials, and be energy efficient. In all, 500 mountain homes will be built, clustered around a village center with restaurants, spas, a hotel, shops, and public art—all easily accessed by ski lift, hiking, and mountain biking trails.
“All of our design guidelines were developed to not disrupt the soil,” says Brian Williams, director of real estate for Powder Mountain. Approximately 2,600 acres were earmarked for development; of that, several will be granted to a local land trust as preserved space that will be open to the public.
“While the value of mountain homes typically relies solely on sheer scale, [we] are working to provide a new standard for the valuation of homes,” says Anne Mooney, principal architect at Sparano + Mooney Architecture, which has provided site analysis as well as a conceptual design for a net-zero energy lodge, no easy task in Utah's harsh winters. To create that kind of shift, Summit—and the people who will call it home—must place worth on quality, sustainability, and durability, says Mooney, whose firm has an office in Salt Lake City.
“Challenges we encountered were largely related to making sure the materials we wanted to use could weather the elements,” says Ron Radziner, design partner at Marmol Radziner, which is working on a 5,500-square-foot private residence that utilizes metal panels, gray wood siding, and local stone to “help blend the building into the landscape.” For the home's landscaping and required green roofs, he adds, “We used regionally native plants, especially critical because of the high elevation and extreme climate.”
Though Summit was initially envisioned as a membership-only community, feedback from locals persuaded Powder's owners to keep the village open as a public space. That's good news for design aficionados who want to hit the slopes in one of the West's most innovative new ski towns. Summit's founders also promise it won't turn into the next Aspen or Vail, now largely defined by posh boutiques, chain hotels, and predictable tourists. “There are ski resorts like that all over the world,” says Williams. Instead, he says, Summit will keep its competitive edge by eschewing overdevelopment and conspicuous consumption. This place, he notes, is for the “authentic person who wants to connect at the soul level.”
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To attract and keep those esoteric people, Summit will need to adhere closely to its principles over the course of time. “The most important design elements that will keep Powder Mountain unique,” says Radziner, “are those that strengthen the relationship of the architecture and its inhabitants to their incredible natural surroundings.” In its current iteration, Summit village is on course to achieve such a goal, and, at least for the near term, one thing is certain: Every design lover should move Summit Powder Mountain to the top of his or her bucket list.
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