American studio Faulkner Architects has used glass, textured concrete and wood for the exterior of a vacation dwelling in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

The home, called Burnt Cedar, is situated along Lake Tahoe ? the largest high-altitude lake in North America, and a popular spot for holiday homes, and winter and summer sports. California-based Faulkner Architects designed the residence for an active couple with two children.
The clients, who participated in the design process, had several specific requests when they commissioned the architects.

They wanted a dwelling that provided a strong connection to the surrounding trees and cobalt blue lake, and offered both "a sense of adventure through access to snowboarding and boating, and a feeling of quiet and reprieve through the sensitive materiality of the interior".
The family also desired a modern aesthetic that wouldn't go out of style.
"The clients wanted a minimalist, contemporary design that avoided gimmicks, and sought to be as timeless as possible," said the architects. "The concrete, steel, wood and glass deployment needed to be strategic to avoid 'dating' the home."

The team conceived a rectilinear house with intersecting planes made of board-formed concrete and large stretches of glass. The textured concrete is meant to evoke the bark of the surrounding pine trees.

Ample glazing brings in natural light while also affording views of the scenic terrain. Deep roof overhangs with blon...