northern lights condos
SCHWEITZER MOUNTAIN, ID
Northern Lights is a residential community comprised of 23 townhomes built over an 18,000 square foot public parking structure located on Schweitzer Mountain. The design is the direct response to client requirements, neighborhood feedback and a variety of site-specific limitations & zoning restrictions.
The client charged the architect with providing a modern housing typology that could maximize the density of the lot while still offering the notion of a single-family structure (individual entrances, private garages and plenty of storage for outdoor gear), ultimately providing a much needed alternative to the condominium lifestyle available on the mountain. Townhouses were a natural solution, attaining the maximum allowable density afforded by the code while still providing the sense of independence and privacy found in detached housing.
The steep hillside and limited size of the lot required that the program be adapted specifically to the topography. Shifting of the floor plate results in a form that "fits" the site and by allowing the building form to follow the contours of the hillside excavation was minimized and costly shoring was avoided. This response resulted in a subtle figure that minimized disturbance and proved beneficial to the project, budget, and construction schedule.
