Serene Lakes Chalet

Modern chalet in the snow
Modern cabin with wooden slatted facade surrounded by trees in a forest

High Performance,
Super Energy Efficient

TYPE: New Construction: High Performance 

SIZE: 2440 sf with an attached 2 car garage 

LOCATION: Serene Lakes, Northern California 

DATE: 2024 

DESIGN: Mela Breen + Erin Humphrey | Atmosphere Design Build

CONTRACTOR: Atmosphere Design Build 

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER: Forbes Linchpin Structural Engineering 

MECHANICAL: Balance Point Home Performance and Pelton Solar

Photography: Kat Alves

Modern dining room with a large table, upholstered chairs, and a floral centerpiece. Large windows and a sliding door provide views of a wooded outdoor area. Light wood cabinetry and flooring complement the bright, open space.

The Serene Lakes Chalet is designed and built for a couple who, after 20 years in a small, drafty cabin, desired more comfort and ease of use in the winter months.

Located at 7000 ft, in Soda Springs, CA, where snowfall is some of the country’s highest, the design response is driven by the extreme winter conditions and the client’s desire to have a year-round home with the main living on the ground floor.

Modern open-plan living and dining area with light wood decor, featuring a tan leather sofa, textured gray chairs, a round wooden coffee table, and a dining table with chairs. A minimalist kitchen area with light wood cabinets and a green tile backsplash is visible. Large windows provide natural light and there is modern artwork on the wall.
Modern kitchen with light wood cabinets, black fixtures, pendant lights, and large windows showing a snowy landscape. Features a gray countertop, a built-in oven, and a beige rug on the floor.
Blurred person walking past a modern wooden cabinet with an abstract painting and a bowl of fruit on top.
Modern open-concept living space with a beige sofa, armchairs, and a wooden coffee table in the living area. A dining table with chairs and a large wooden cabinet are visible in the middle. Pendant lights hang above a kitchen island with leather stools.
Modern spherical pendant lights hanging in front of wooden paneled wall.

Conceived as a modern play on a wood paneled cabin, finish grade plywood paneling is used throughout the interior as a unifying interior material. Cabinetry, hidden doors, custom bunk beds, and desks were designed by Atmosphere and detailed to integrate seamlessly with the plywood paneling.

Person walking up stairs indoors holding a vase with flowers, near a large window, with a modern pendant light above and wooden paneling on the side.
Modern minimalist interior with light wood paneling, dark wooden stairs, and a vase with branches on a shelf.
Animated image of wooden cabinet doors opening to reveal a hidden gray door behind them.
Modern bedroom with large window and wooden elements, featuring a bed with gray and green pillows, a small nightstand, a cushioned chair, and access to an outdoor patio.

Low carbon finish materials were selected throughout the project, including regionally made tile, domestic plywood, and cork flooring.

Modern bedroom with wood panel wall, gray bedding, decorative pillows, wall-mounted reading lights, and a side table with a flower vase.
Modern bathroom with green tile wall, oval mirror, concrete sink, and wall sconces. Black faucet and vase with greenery on sink.
Modern bathroom with freestanding bathtub, light wood vanity, green tiled walls, and window view of snowy trees.
Wooden bunk bed with storage drawers and a ladder, featuring blue bedding and decorative pillows.
Modern wooden porch with slatted walls and snow-covered trees in the background.

The structural skeleton that supports the covered entrance walkway and balcony/porch is clad in perforated steel panels to articulate the simple gable form and further protect the outdoor spaces from snow. The building’s orientation is turned to the south with large lift slide doors that open to the south-facing porch and balcony, maximizing solar exposure in the winter and shaded spaces in the summer.  

Contemporary house entrance with a wooden pergola and corrugated metal siding, featuring illuminated ceiling lights and a glass door at the end of the walkway.
Modern dark gray house with metal roof and wooden accents, surrounded by tall pine trees.
Modern house with metal roof surrounded by deep snow, trees in the background.

High Performance Highlights

Grayscale illustration of a man in a suit playing a violin

Assembly

The overall assembly approach in this mountain environment is to maximize the buildings overall performance so that minimal heating is required. Airtight construction, thermal bridging free details, super insulated walls, roof, and floor, and triple pane European windows are used. The house is framed with 2x6 walls and has 3 ½” of exterior Rockwool insulation, has an R-70 unvented roof assembly and an insulated slab on grade.

House icon with arrows indicating recycling or airflow inside.

Climate Control

A boiler supplies the domestic hot water and in-floor radiant heating. An HRV is installed for balance ventilation. In the mountain climate, passive cooling is typically all that is ever needed. A ductless mini-split was installed for a measure of resilience in the event that wildfire smoke doesn’t allow for night flushing. 

Sun icon with power symbol

Energy

The location makes it nearly impossible to install photovoltaic panels, so propane was installed for the radiant heating system. However, all the other mechanical systems and appliances are high efficiency electric units.