The main feature of the project is its unique hempcrete wall construction, creating a thermally high-performance building and a minimalistic, uniform look inspired by the raw beauty of concrete. At the project’s inception, the clients requested a concrete house for its modern look, and the designers were able to convince the client to embrace hempcrete to supplement the concrete finishes, which pairs nicely with concrete wall assemblies, and makes the house much more green and energy efficient. Hempcrete is a biocomposite material, a mixture of hemp hurds and lime, sand, and pozzolans, which is used as a material for insulation. It is well-suited for one-story residential construction in harsh, humid climates, such as Big Sky, Montana.

The project’s form, with its staggered and slender volumes that slip past each other, was driven by the long, linear site and the desire to highlight scenic mountain views in all directions inside all rooms of the house. Each slipped volume is designed with the same proportions and module, which allows the builders to re-use formwork across the project, increasing efficiency, and creating a dramatic repetition and rhythm of minimalist forms, inspired by the mountainside setting.

Hempcrete creates a very high thermal mass, offering resistance against the extreme weather conditions (very cold winters and very hot summers) in Montana.

The naturally high moisture content of hempcrete walls, combined with inherently fire-resistant material characteristics, gives the rural Montana home extra protection from wildfire risk, including a very high resistance to airborne embers.