A glazed box containing a study cantilevers from the contemporary rural Jackson Residence by architecture firm Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, which overlooks a river valley in the American West.

The house is located in the scenic town of Jackson, Wyoming, a favoured spot for holiday homes and retirement dwellings. The residence is situated on the edge of a butte, offering sweeping views of the Snake River Valley and the Teton Mountain Range. The clients wanted a home that made the most of its spectacular setting.

"The owners, a retired couple with grown children, acquired the property many years prior to starting the design process and were interested in a calm, elegant retreat that offered both dramatic and contemplative spaces," said statement from Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, a Pennsylvania-based firm with several offices around North America.
In response, the team conceived a 9,860-square-foot (916-square-metre) residence that is L-shaped in plan. Facades are composed of concrete, wood and expanses of glass, with deep eaves helping shade glazed walls. The contemporary home stands out from its neighbours, which are more rustic in character, the firm said.
"In a place typically known for more rustic architecture, the crisp volumes and thin roof planes of this residence define a new vernacular," the architects said.

The residence is accessed via a winding road that passes through a sagebrush meadow and an aspen tree grove. A driveway and courtyard are lined w...