Martis Camp Residence
Area source: Bohlin Cywinski Jackson. Style and category are editorial classifications.
Bohlin Cywinski Jackson
The residence in winter
A big house needs a small-scale plan
BCJ gives a three-generation retreat a shared center and places to retreat.
At 12,200 square feet, this Martis Camp residence has a different problem from a compact cabin: how do you keep everyone from disappearing? Bohlin Cywinski Jackson answers with a central gathering space and bedroom wings that extend along the forested ridge.
The plan gives three generations a common address within the house. Quieter rooms have their own territory, while cedar, charred wood, and a vivid red interior wall establish changes in mood and orientation. At this size, recognizable places matter. A collection of equally grand rooms could quickly become exhausting.
The scale makes this an outlier in our selection, and it should be read that way. Still, the planning question travels well. Even a modest house benefits from a clear shared center and a thoughtful transition to private rooms. The architectural achievement to look for here is intimacy: where a very large building manages to become a place for a few people.
Completed 2020 · 12,200 square feet, per the architect.
An editorial reading of published photographs and project information; no site visit or owner interview is implied.
Project information: Bohlin Cywinski Jackson ↗
Further reading: Interior Design ↗
Original summary and editorial interpretation by Tahoe Design Review. This is not an on-site review or a claim of affiliation with the architect or publication. Sources consulted October 4, 2026. Profile retained from the opening collection.
Photography is shown as a design-reference preview. Republication permission has not been confirmed.