This project re-conceives low-density rural living by condensing the traditional single-family mountain resort into a series of concentrated rings of activity that are optimized for views, solar orientation, wetlands, program and topography. Unlike the traditional cul-de-sac, where the street defines the lack of social cohesion, here, the houses themselves define a meandering collective border between the urban and rural. This outermost ring is comprised of the house units that form an alternating perimeter of private family outdoor courtyards and shared outdoor camps. The next inner ring is the road that condenses and connects the collective amenities to the houses. The collective program and amenities are concentrated at the epicenter of the site to increase social interaction while reducing the ecological footprint and runoff by over 50%. Each house is organized around a series of dispersed bathroom and storage cores, allowing the rooms to be arranged as a single loft space when open or as a series of individual rooms when closed. The insertion of two glass internal courtyards in the larger houses creates additional rooms. The walls are made of local stone and timbered wood topped by a sod roof. The houses are sunk into the hillside topography to create privacy from neighbors while optimizing views and solar orientation. © 2010 NOA: Andrew Heid, Christopher Purpura.