Skiers zip through the powder just a few feet away from the cantilevered living room of this stunning vacation home in Squaw Valley, California. If anyone inside wants to join them, all they have to do is head downstairs, pop on their skis, and zoom down the mountain to catch the chairlift all the way to the top. “Ski on Home” by Chicago-based architecture firm Strawn + Sierralta is an extraordinary Lake Tahoe area residence that takes cozy ski chalet vibes to the max for the most immersive experience possible. The result is part private modern ski lodge, part alien spacecraft (especially when it’s lit up after sunset).

The clients, a married couple, are (respectively) a professional BASE jumper and a former member of the Swedish skydiving team, so they?re no strangers to adventure, and they wanted a home that suited their daring lifestyle and personalities. But it wouldn?t just be a standard home for a nuclear family. Instead, the couple envisioned a spectacular home base for their extended family and network of friends, and Strawn + Sierralta delivered an award-winning design that prioritized connection to the outdoors and its unusual setting.
Not only is “Ski on Home” perched directly beneath the Squaw Valley gondola, but it?s also been built into the mountainside, so visitors can ski right into any of the home?s three levels. The mountain also provides natural insulation and protection from avalanches. Guest bedrooms and a standalone sui...