The Double Helix Ranch

The Double Helix Ranch is located in the beautiful, remote and windswept Pahsimeroi Valley of central Idaho at 5220 feet elevation.  It is mainly a range area with agricultural properties clustered near the stream at its center.  The valley is very broad, sparsely populated and is bordered by the Lost River Mountain Range to the south and the Lemhi Range to the north.  The house sits adjacent to the outer reach of an irrigation pivot on an 80 acre property.
Our client requested a full time residence that was simple and clean, sympathetic to the vernacular structures of this area but did not deny the beauty of its location and remained open to views.  The client is a biotechnology consultant and works from his house.  Their program called for a three bedroom house with one bedroom serving dual duty as an office space.

The layout came about for several reasons;  First, was to create a place apart from the vastness of the location, a lush oasis within the largely dry valley prairie, that was contained within a central area so as not to suburbanize the exterior.  Outside the perimeter plantings were to be simple and as natural as possible. A second reason for the walled compound was to control the constant wind and to keep out the ever present wandering deer and antelope.    The concept is as a prairie outpost, not suburban but still with a domesticated side.  A contemporary ranch house, the house is open to views of the valley and nowhere is that more powerful than from the studio tower where the phenomenal aspect of the home is a 360 degree experience.

The exterior finishes are tough and maintenance free.  Fully clad in galvanized corrugated steel with a rusted steel roof, it features a tower of glass and split face concrete masonry.  The windows have a mill finish and are manufactured by Sierra Pacific.