Designed to be a modern retreat, Cowboy Heaven by O’Neill Rose Architects is a masterful example of architecture that engages deeply with its natural surroundings

Big Sky, Montana, USA

Located in the Big Sky area of Montana, known for its breathtaking views of the Rocky Mountains, the Cowboy Heaven, designed by O’Neill Rose Architects, integrates the natural landscape into the experience of the home, creating a seamless relationship between the indoors and outdoors

This 10,500-square-foot home partly embedded into the mountainside, has a roofline that climbs and descends to frame both mountain and valley vistas.

The project has been recently awarded a 2024 Future House Award by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and Global Design News.

The inspiration for the Cowboy Heaven project comes from the snow fences that run across the rolling fields of America’s west.

These snow fences are large timber structures primarily used to protect cattle by catching and directing drifting snow.

The team first saw these fences on our initial drive to the site and it was a clear indicator of how land and weather would impact the project.

Moved by the beauty of the rugged land, they decided to work in partnership with both the site’s natural topography and extreme environment.

Starkly beautiful, the steep, narrow site sits 8,400 feet above sea level, Fifty mile-per-hour winds, twelve foot snowbanks, and -15 degree temperatures are common.

The house is positioned in a narrow cut just below the highest point of the site, which allows the land to wrap around the house on the north/west side, softening the impact of the prevailing winds.

The house’s stone base is a full story high to weather the 12 foot snows.

Embedded to the north/west, the stone base extends like a ships prow to the north/east.

The upper portion of the house is wrapped in a basket weave of Shou Sugi Ban.

Inspired by the snow fences, this wood cladding literally catches the snow within the façade of the building.

In places, this screen separates from the building, creating exterior spaces where the snow is held back so our clients can enjoy a protected moment outdoors.

Supported by the stone prow, the upper volume of the house cantilevers north and east, capturing multiple views of the mountains and valleys.

One example of this strategy is the hot tub terrace, where the basket weave screen separates from the house and lightly encloses the terrace, framing views of the Spanish Peaks and Ennis Valley beyond.

A geothermal system with a super insulatedR50+, radiant flooring, and triple glazed windows all work together to create a highly efficient home.

The interiors also subtly reference the landscape: sculptural plaster ceilings hang like inverted snow drifts, and vertically fluted ash millwork.

Project: Cowboy Heaven
Architects: O’Neill Rose Architects
Design Team: Devin O’Neill, Ali Ward, and Hong Bae
General Contractor: On Site Management, Inc.
Client: Bose Family
Photographers: Matthew Millman