Photo Friday: Urban Cabin

One of the more interesting homes I have encountered lately is located just five minutes from downtown Salt Lake City, but it sits nestled into the land and landscape like a cabin. Surrounded by nature, views of the city, and outdoor living spaces in the trees, it combines the best of both worlds. I don’t know of other cities that offer so many hidden enclaves and opportunities to merge urban with nature as Salt Lake City. 

Located on a high bench north of city center, frequent collaborators Dubell Custom Homes (Steve Dubell), Upwall Design (Michael Upwall), and AMB Interiors (Anne-Marie Barton) combined their talents to create the homeowner’s dream of a modern home on the property. With a school across the street and a fire station on a large parcel to one side, the design situates the home for privacy that gives consideration to just one neighboring home. 

The ample balcony and upper-level patios have glass railings to let the sculptural angles of the home be appreciated. The steeply sloped lot is tiered for patios and a pool. 

The front is the private side of the home. A retaining wall elevates the layers of shrubs and mix of trees for greater screening.

Looking out to the front, the home incorporates modern forms with glass, concrete, metal, reclaimed lumber and lustrous wood in a way that feels completely harmonious with the views outside, not unlike modern mountain homes.

The fireplace against the stone wall with the graphic black curve screens the only neighboring home. 

The glass railings give transparency to the interior forms and a simplicity to the lines. From the open-plan living space and the bedrooms above, the views of the city, Wasatch Mountains, and the Oquirrhs unfold. 

I wouldn’t say I am a city kind of guy, but this home made me reconsider the possibilities of being connected to the natural world and trails while being located close to urban life. It’s a great lifestyle.  

Read more of Scot’s Photo Fridays here.