Passive Ski Cabin

Built for an accomplished professional ski pro, Trinity Passive House stands as an exercise in cohesion and progression. The site opens onto a plateau facing Mt. Begbie, reached down a narrow driveway. Below, the valley floor drops away steeply. Revelstoke, B.C. is famed for the biggest vertical drop of any North American ski resort. As such, it provided the perfect backdrop for adventure. Naturally, the home needed to serve three roles: a mountain base, a sanctuary, and a social hub.

From the outset, integrating high-performance passive house design with innovative materials and technology was paramount. Equally, balancing performance with strong aesthetics was non-negotiable. Rather than greenwashing, the brief demanded authenticity. In other words, high performance and architectural style had to work as one — never one at the expense of the other.

To capture Mt. Begbie perfectly, the house faces south-west. In doing so, it frames the peak from the double-height lounge and the mezzanine above. The mezzanine, in turn, connects directly to the upper-floor main bedroom. Critically, the client’s daily journey — from bedroom through to lounge and kitchen — was carefully mapped. As a result, mountain views and snow conditions greet her immediately each morning.

The client’s brief called for a garage, main house, and garden around a central courtyard. This arrangement drew influence from travels in Japan. Accordingly, a rainwater garden containing a Japanese maple sits at the heart of the composition. Surrounding it, a Douglas Fir covered walkway completes the space. Together, the buildings and garden arrange themselves in a triangle. Specifically, this references the client’s family — three sisters, with each corner of the walkway representing a sibling.

Given Revelstoke’s short building season and inclement weather, the team chose CLT prefabricated construction. Specifically, innovative Kerto Q-Panel knee panels of LVL at 300mm spacings brace the upper walls from the exterior. In doing so, the interior remains entirely free of steel or timber collar ties. Consequently, the result is a completely open, pure space.

For the structure, 120mm CLT forms the walls and roof. Meanwhile, 160mm CLT panels make up the upper floor. To achieve exceptional thermal resistance, a 300mm blanket of Woodfibre insulation wraps the entire CLT structure. Furthermore, this creates a thermally bridge-free envelope throughout. Additionally, the breathable CLT envelope eliminates the need for a vapour barrier, drying to the exterior in winter and to the interior in summer. Following this, a Proclima Mento membrane wraps the exterior Woodfibre. Finally, a Shou Sugi Ban wood finish completes the assembly.

On the garage roof, solar panels generate on-site energy. Meanwhile, a Zehnder HRV handles ventilation, connected to earth tubes that passively preheat incoming air. Together, these systems reflect the home’s passive house principles in action.

In practice, Trinity serves multiple lives simultaneously. At times, it offers a quiet retreat from a hectic international schedule. At others, it becomes a jumping-off point for friends heading to the mountain. Equally, it functions as a crash pad for 20-plus guests. In every scenario, the home performs with ease.

Ultimately, Trinity uses wood throughout — zero steel structure — wrapped around a warm and inviting walkway. In doing so, it creates both a focal point and a place of reflection. Above all, it connects the home and its occupants to the surrounding mountains at every turn.