Modern multi-level house in a snowy winter landscape at dusk. The contemporary architecture features wood siding, large windows glowing with warm interior lights, and an elevated section, set against a deep blue twilight sky and pine trees.

Clubhouse

Big Sky, Montana

Service

Type

Residential

Location

Big Sky, Montana

Photography

Matthew Millman

Conceived by clients with a passion for outdoor recreation and environmental advocacy, the Clubhouse is part of a larger family retreat designed to foster connections with the landscape on multiple scales. The retreat is set on a secluded 160-acre ridgeline west of Yellowstone in mountainous southwest Montana.

Modern industrial ski gear room with a long dark table displaying multiple pairs of skis, snowboards, and boots. A blurred figure carries skis out through a large sliding glass door to a snowy landscape, while a raised living area with a brown leather armchair is visible in the background.

Overlooking forested valleys and distant peaks, the Clubhouse serves as a launch point for year-round outdoor adventure—snowmobiling, hiking, skiing, and biking—and a venue for eco-conscious retreats and intimate gatherings. Its position at the edge of a prominent wetland establishes a deliberate threshold between the cultivated and the wild, while also acting as the property's most publicly accessible welcome point.

The design blends rustic materiality with understated elegance. A geothermal system, solar array, and reclaimed materials speak to the owners’ environmental ethos, ensuring the building’s longevity and minimal impact. On the whole, the design of the retreat centers on the idea that meaningful engagement with the natural world can catalyze education, restoration, and community.

Rustic Elegance

Sandblasted concrete anchors the structure into the hillside, while reclaimed fir siding and charred log-ends echo Montana’s rugged backcountry lodges. Inside, earthy tones, natural plaster, and warm timber finishes create a tactile, casual atmosphere equally suited to post-ride relaxation or sustainability-focused dialogue.

Modern bathroom with vibrant red, gold, and blue geometric patterned tiles covering the walls and floor. Features a wall-mounted gray concrete sink with a matte black faucet, a black toilet, and two distinctive teardrop pendant lights.

Hospitality at Home

The program blends elements of residential, hospitality, and recreational use. Its primary function is as a launching point for year-round outdoor activity, housing gear for snowmobiling, biking, hiking, and skiing, and serving as a base for exploring the property’s private trail network, which connects to the surrounding national forest.