Regional Focus: Martis Camp/Lake Tahoe

  • The beauty of Northern California is as diverse as the state itself, from the gold and green rowed vineyards of Napa to the pristine waters of Lake Tahoe. It is in the Northern Californian community of Tahoe and Truckee, California that you can find Martis Camp, a one-of-a-kind development that combines the best of design, entertainment and outdoor living. The 2,200-acre residential complex includes homes that blend seamlessly with the natural setting of the Tahoe area alongside luxury community buildings that feature a well-rounded menu of recreational activities including a 1950’s style malt shop, movie theater and treehouse library.

    The diversity of the region makes the Tahoe and Truckee communities a pricey place to lay down roots. Truckee in particular is a popular ski town and is located just 13 miles from Lake Tahoe. In addition to slicing through powder at one of the area’s many ski resorts, the town also has over ten golf courses in addition to its plethora of biking, boating and fishing options. The Truckee community has 28 popular neighborhoods, where homes range in price. Just a few miles away lies Lake Tahoe with its lakefront and mountain homes attracting buyers that often look to purchase vacation or second homes.

    Also found in the area are green practices, sustainability and overall “naturalness”, which are woven into the architectural tradition of Tahoe. Design found within the area often strives for an element of “co-habitation” with its environment, utilizing materials such as wood, stone, glass, raw steel and exposed concrete. Lifestyle also plays into the structural components of homes found within the communities of Tahoe and Truckee. The variety of outdoor activities becomes a physical extension built into the structures of many of the lodge, cabin and mountain-style homes, which are designed for accommodating active living that works to merge with the surrounding terrain.

    There is no doubt that regional characteristics influence the style and way in which architecture manifests itself. The beautiful blue waters of Lake Tahoe, set against a backdrop of mountains and green pines, create the need to incorporate these natural elements into the stylistic design choices. From skiing at Alpine Meadows Ski Resort in Truckee, to hiking the Sierra Nevada, the region is cradled by some of nature’s most stunning assets. Architects throughout the area look to the elemental qualities of the environment as inspiration for their stylistic choices. Ken Maffen, an architect in the Tahoe/Truckee region as well as one of the designers behind the Martis Camp project says of his work, “My spirits are enlightened by an architecture that enforces and grows out of the natural environment and indigenous architecture of a region.”