The Jackalope Ranch Residence is a contemporary four-bedroom home shaped by the distinctive high-desert landscape of northwestern Wyoming. Set among rolling hills and waist-high native grasses, the residence responds directly to a landscape that is both expansive and elemental. Its architecture draws from the colors, textures, climate, and agricultural heritage of the site, creating a modern mountain home that feels deeply rooted in place.

The unusual character of the property inspired a restrained palette of rammed earth, concrete, timber, and expansive glass. Substantial rammed-earth walls provide the home with a strong architectural presence while contributing valuable thermal mass in Wyoming’s demanding climate. These earthen walls organize the residence and establish a sense of permanence and shelter within the exposed high-desert setting.

The home’s southern orientation is carefully managed with deep roof overhangs that provide protection from intense summer sun and winter glare while allowing natural daylight to animate the interiors. Shed roof forms reinterpret the agricultural structures historically associated with the surrounding meadow, while lower, sod-covered roofs connect the primary volumes and define circulation routes and transitional spaces. Together, these forms create a composition that is both contemporary and connected to the rural vernacular of the Mountain West.

At the center of the residence, the living, kitchen, and dining spaces are integrated into a shared architectural hub designed for gathering and daily life. Expansive glazing frames long views across the grasslands and brings the surrounding landscape into the interior, reinforcing the connection between architecture and nature.

The bedroom wing extends from this central living space and includes the primary suite and three children’s bedrooms. A distinctive sawtooth hallway responds to subtle changes in the site and creates a dynamic experience of movement through the home. Glazing positioned at each shift in the corridor frames changing views of the architecture, native grasslands, and surrounding topography, transforming circulation into a sequence of carefully composed visual connections.

In contrast to the site’s arid character, modest water features introduce moments of reflection and coolness at key architectural points. Water helps define the arrival sequence from the guest parking area to the entry, while a compact swimming pool and rammed-earth cabana create a sheltered outdoor retreat on the south side of the residence. Rather than introducing a water-intensive landscape, these carefully placed elements serve as focused counterpoints to the dry, expansive surroundings.

A xeriscape landscape strategy preserves the natural character of the property while minimizing irrigation demands. The residence rests on a carefully detailed concrete plinth that extends beyond the building envelope to create terraces, seating areas, and outdoor living spaces connected to the bedrooms and main living areas. Oriented primarily to the south, these exterior spaces take advantage of sunlight and provide a seamless transition between the interior and the surrounding high-desert landscape. Steps at the edges of the plinth return occupants directly to the native grasslands, encouraging exploration of the site.

Through its use of rammed earth construction, passive solar strategies, thermal mass, xeriscaping, sod roofs, and site-responsive planning, the Jackalope Ranch Residence offers a contemporary interpretation of living in Wyoming’s high desert. The architecture provides shelter without separating its occupants from the landscape, balancing enclosure and openness, permanence and transparency, dryness and water.

The Jackalope Ranch Residence reflects Ward Blake Architects’ approach to site-responsive residential architecture in Wyoming and the Mountain West—architecture shaped by climate, topography, regional materials, and the experience of place. The result is a distinctive modern residence that belongs to its landscape while providing a thoughtful and enduring environment for family life.

Location

Jackson, WY

Project Size

9,196 sq. ft.

awards

2026 RTF (Rethinking the Future Awards), Private Res. (Small-Med.)(Concept) - Second Award Winner

Publications

2026 Biophilic Designs