This Minimalist Black Ski Cabin in Tahoe Feels as Fresh as a Powder Day

A family’s cluster of shed-roofed structures on a small lot bucks the conventions of the traditional mountain retreat.

David Tang and Edith Tom, both software engineers, had an interesting take on their cross-continental move. Back when they lived in Sydney, Australia, they would routinely travel five hours to visit the Snowy Mountains, reveling in its rugged outdoor beauty. When their company offered to relocate them to San Francisco in September 2017 to assist with a new project, they said yes. The way they saw it, the California city is only three hours from the Sierras.

After moving from Sydney to San Francisco, David Tang and Edith Tom built a family ski cabin in South Lake Tahoe designed to fit within its site instead of dominate it.

Photo: Joe Fletcher

In the spring of 2020, after years of visiting South Lake Tahoe whenever they could, David and Edith purchased a plot where the edge of the town meets the base of the mountains at Heavenly Mountain Resort. Ready to build a vacation home that made their trips from San Francisco even more worthwhile, the couple got in touch with Mork-Ulnes Architects.

"There were big Jeffrey pine trees, lots of boulders and logs, and a gentle slope," remembers project lead, architect Colin Griffin. "When we got started, they were clear about wanting to celebrate the site."

The home comprises four shed-roofed structures connected at their corners, with the living area at the center. When open, sliders on either side create cross-ventilation. The ladder leads to a mezzanine office space.

Photo: Joe Fletcher

David and Edith hired Mork-Ulnes knowing that the firm is split between San Francisco and Oslo, Norway, and exemplifies the mindsets of these locales. The group envisioned a home that has a Scandinavia-meets-California appreciation for the outdoors, one that didn’t sprawl across the mountainside but rather existed within it. After so many years of treasuring the Tahoe landscape at a distance, in a way, David and Edith asked for a property that would envelope them within it.

Open shelving and cabinetry in Douglas fir were designed to match the plywood in the rest of the home. Caesarstone countertops in Blizzard were installed alongside Jenn-Air appliances. The refrigerator is concealed next to the entry hall.

Photo: Joe Fletcher

See the full story on Dwell.com: This Minimalist Black Ski Cabin in Tahoe Feels as Fresh as a Powder Day
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One Napkin Sketch, Then Wall Drawings: How an Artist Realized a Residency in Argentina

Ignacio Fanti layered Art Deco and Paraguayan design styles to revitalize a property outside of Resistencia.

Ignacio Fanti’s home and artist residency sits on roughly one and a half acres on the banks of the Rio Negro, about 20 minutes from Resistencia, the capital of the Chaco province in Argentina. But with its overgrown vegetation and wildlife, it feels remote, something he yearned for after so many years of living in big cities.

He was born and raised in Resistencia but spent a decade between Buenos Aires, Italy, and Berlin, carving out a career as an artist. When Ignacio purchased the property with his father, he initially stayed in the more modern and larger of its two buildings while he planned the next phase. Keen to further pursue artistic endeavors, he began reimagining the structures as his first home and a space to host artists and workshops.

Ignacio has been friends with architect Daiana Katz, a founder of Este Norte studio, since childhood. The two reconnected over Ignacio’s plans and began working with the firm’s other founders, architects Agostina Vacca Arreseygor and Nahuel Zampayo, on a vision for the property. Ignacio was actively involved with the redesign; he says he become obsessed with Paraguayan architecture around 2017, coincidentally when Katz was working for architect Solano Benítez, who’s known for his radical use of brick.

See the full story on Dwell.com: One Napkin Sketch, Then Wall Drawings: How an Artist Realized a Residency in Argentina
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These Midcentury Town Houses in Chicago Are More Desirable Than They’ve Ever Been

Units designed by I. M. Pei and Harry Weese still attract young families wanting to raise their kids in an urban environment.

Twentieth-century urban renewal had a great track record of producing freeways, less so desirable places to live. But near the University of Chicago, on the South Side of the city, one plan from the late 1950s by architects I. M. Pei and Harry Weese embraced its context, generating midcentury-modern town houses still celebrated for their congenial and efficient urban family life.

Tech entrepreneurs Sue Khim and Silas Hundt and their young children are among the many families living today in town houses designed by architects I. M. Pei and Harry Weese in the late 1950s as part of an urban renewal plan on the South Side of Chicago. The couple worked with Alex Krikhaar of Vinci Hamp Architects on a preservation-minded renovation. "It was one of the few remaining houses that had not been touched," says Krikhaar. The stepped, recessed entrance—referred to in plans as the "porch"—is a place to connect with the neighborhood.

Photo: Kevin Serna

"Part of the romance of being here," says tech entrepreneur Sue Khim, who moved into one of the town houses with her family in September of 2024, "is that our kids play in an alleyway and almost every single family here has kids." Today as when they were built, the roughly 150 town houses in Hyde Park by Pei and Weese feature airy, open staircases, lushly planted courtyards, and tactile buff brick with limestone trim. Arranged in horizontal bars a block long, the town houses include rear entrances that face each other across green spaces, creating semienclosed courtyards that feel cloistered and communal and are now strewn with lawn furniture, grills, and, in one case, an entire small playground.

Zooming out, the network of courtyards and quiet streets in Hyde Park is prime tricycle track, and the prestigious schools and cultural amenities of the university (as well as the tight-knit social networks therein) have long made the area a sought-after destination for people committed to raising city kids.

The dining area includes cantilevered oak benches. The Nelson Saucer Bubble pendant, Nelson X-Leg table for Herman Miller, and Eames Molded Plastic side chair are from Design Within Reach.

Photo: Kevin Serna

The galley kitchen features white oak drawers and Caesarstone counters and cabinets. The kitchen faucet, filtered water faucet, and mounted soap dispenser are from Baril. The gas and induction cooktops and electric oven are from Wolf, and the refrigerator is from Bosch. The range hood is from Zephyr, and the lighting fixtures are from Lightology.

Photo: Kevin Serna

See the full story on Dwell.com: These Midcentury Town Houses in Chicago Are More Desirable Than They’ve Ever Been
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On the Latvian Coast, a Sea-Inspired Twist on the Gable Home

A residence’s bent form is meant to look like it was shaped by wind and water, as were the nearby sand dunes.

Houses We Love: Every day we feature a remarkable space submitted by our community of architects, designers, builders, and homeowners. Have one to share? Post it here.

Project Details:

Location: Pāvilosta, Latvia

Architect: MADE Arhitekti / @madearhitekti

Footprint: 3,229 square feet

Structural Engineer: PBR

Photographer: Jānis Vēveris / @janis.veveris

From the Architect: "The Pāvilosta House is designed as a spacious gathering space with a large living room and guest rooms, serving as an extension to the client’s main residence located next door. The architectural concept of the Pāvilosta House is located within the in between space. On the one hand, the traditional gabled character of Pāvilosta architecture, on the other hand, the power of the wild sea and the freedom of the wind. The town of Pāvilosta, Latvia, is a place where people settle, form close relationships with the wind, sea, and waves, and become part of the unbridled power of nature. The house is like a part of the endless seaside landscape. Along the street, it respects the traditional building profile, then with a light twist turns into a dynamic vector.

"In discussions with the owner, it became clear that spatial qualities are equally important as the emotions that accompany life by and on the sea. The architecture of the house is inevitably influenced by the sea. Although it is built of wood on a concrete foundation, the dynamic spatial twist is a tribute to the presence of water and wind. It would seem that wind and water have shaped the geometry of the house, just as they eternally shape and transform the Pāvilosta dunes.

"In the center of the building is a large space for private activities, to which the kitchen is connected at the northern end. The large space has the potential to merge with the outside space, opening an approximately 33-foot-wide window display to the courtyard, facing west. Along the street there are four bedrooms, grouped in pairs around two entrances from the courtyard. The building's load-bearing wall structures are CLT and glued timber. The roof is a wooden structure with a natural slate covering."

Photo by Jānis Vēveris

Photo by Jānis Vēveris

Photo by Jānis Vēveris

See the full story on Dwell.com: On the Latvian Coast, a Sea-Inspired Twist on the Gable Home

John Lautner’s Salkin Residence Lands on the Market in L.A. for $2.4M

Perched in the hills of Echo Park, the redwood-wrapped midcentury is in stellar condition thanks to a restoration by Bestor Architecture.

Location: 1430 Avon Terrace, Los Angeles, California

Price: $2,395,000

Year Built: 1948

Architect: John Lautner

Renovation Date: 2016

Renovation Architect: Barbara Bestor

Footprint: 1,361 square feet (3 bedrooms, 1 bath)

Lot Size: 0.36 Acres

From the Agent: "Here on more than a third of an acre in the hills of Echo Park, with panoramic views down the canyon all the way to the ocean in Santa Monica, this early midcentury-modern work by John Lautner incorporates elements learned during his six-year apprenticeship with Frank Lloyd Wright, in addition to the bold experimentation that would come to define his personal oeuvre. On one hand, Wright’s principles of the low-cost Usonian house are clearly visible: a small footprint, an emphasis on horizontality, a restricted palette of materials, the principles of compression and release, and the use of board-and-batten redwood siding. On the other hand, Lautner was playful in his expression of the overall form: seven pairs of triangular timbers create a spine for the house, supporting an upside-down triangular truss roof with little need for structure at the perimeter, lifting the ceiling plane up toward the sky, and allowing glass walls and sliding doors to connect directly to the landscape."

The original owner, Jules Salkin, met architect John Lautner at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin Fellowship, and he later commissioned Lautner to design the home. Salkin was a polymath: a concert violist, contractor, developer, architect, and attorney.

Photo by Sterling Reed

The flooring is made from red concrete.

Photo by Sterling Reed

The current owners acquired the property after decades of ownership by the Salkin family.

Photo by Sterling Reed

See the full story on Dwell.com: John Lautner’s Salkin Residence Lands on the Market in L.A. for $2.4M
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A New Vintage of Sonoma County Living Hits the Market for $3.8M

Enjoy wine storage and a three-car garage in the heart of Healdsburg.

1580 Clear Ridge Drive in Healdsburg, California, is currently listed at $3,850,000 by Tiffiny Alexander at Healdsburg Sotheby’s International Realty.

Just five minutes from Healdsburg Square, this custom-built home combines contemporary design with thoughtful functionality. Spanning four bedrooms and four and a half bathrooms, the residence features an expansive three-car garage and motor court, providing ample off-street parking. 

The main level centers on an open-concept great room, dining area, and kitchen, all designed for effortless entertaining. Climate-controlled wine storage is seamlessly integrated, while the kitchen showcases custom cabinetry, artisan hardware, layered lighting, a 48-inch double-oven gas range, two additional ovens, two dishwashers, a built-in refrigerator, and a pantry tailored for hosting. An oversized island provides social seating, making this space both beautiful and functional. A main-level en suite bedroom, large laundry, and elegant powder room complete the floor. 

Upstairs, three additional bedrooms—including a primary en suite—are complemented by secondary bathrooms and an open loft, all offering expansive views. Multiple decks and private patios create a range of outdoor experiences, perfectly suited to the Mediterranean climate. 

Natural light fills the home, highlighting rolling hill vistas from nearly every window. Stacking sliding glass doors blur the line between indoors and out, while rich wood detailing introduces warmth to a refined modern palette. 

Listing Details 

Bedrooms: 4 

Baths: 4 full, 1 partial

Year Built: 2025 

Square Feet: 2,843 

Plot Size: 0.29 acres

Courtesy of Healdsburg Sotheby's International Realty

Courtesy of Healdsburg Sotheby's International Realty

Courtesy of Healdsburg Sotheby's International Realty

See the full story on Dwell.com: A New Vintage of Sonoma County Living Hits the Market for $3.8M
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A Boxy, Light-Filled Retreat in Pennsylvania Seeks $1.2M

Set on 20.5 picturesque acres in New Castle.

3191 Mercer Road in New Castle, Pennsylvania, is currently listed at $1,250,000 by Cass Zielinski at Piatt Sotheby's International Realty.

This four-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath home strikes a quiet balance between contemporary architecture and pastoral calm, set just an hour from downtown Pittsburgh. Inside, an open light-filled plan emphasizes clean lines, generous ceiling heights, and a seamless flow between living spaces. Expansive windows frame long views of the surrounding landscape, dissolving the boundary between indoors and out. A modern kitchen anchors the home, opening to refined yet comfortable living areas suited to both everyday life and casual entertaining. Tucked away for privacy, the primary suite offers a restful retreat, thoughtfully positioned to take full advantage of the home’s serene setting.

Listing Details 

Bedrooms: 4 

Baths: 2 full, 1 partial 

Year Built: 1998 

Square Feet: 6,096

Plot Size: 20.5 acres

Courtesy of Piatt Sotheby's International Realty

Courtesy of Piatt Sotheby's International Realty

Courtesy of Piatt Sotheby's International Realty

See the full story on Dwell.com: A Boxy, Light-Filled Retreat in Pennsylvania Seeks $1.2M
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