- Project: Riverbend Residence
- Architect: CLB Architects
- Location: United States, Jackson, Wyoming
- Year: 2018
- Area: 581 m2
- Photography: Matthew Millman
A Modern Riverfront Retreat in Jackson
The Riverbend Residence by CLB Architects is a contemporary single-story dwelling located along the Snake River in Jackson, Wyoming. Set on a 20-acre property, the project faced unique challenges: a berm built by the Army Corps of Engineers blocked river views, and a dense cottonwood grove obscured the Tetons.
To solve this, the architects studied the site’s seasonal changes and elevated the home five feet above ground level, opening the living areas to sweeping views of the meadow, river, and mountains. The result is a residence that feels light, transparent, and deeply connected to its natural surroundings.
Minimalist Plan with Maximum Impact
The design is based on a stripped-down plan of two intersecting bars: the main house oriented east–west and the guesthouse north–south. The two volumes, connected by cedar decking, form a shared outdoor courtyard filled with southern light and anchored by a grove of aspen trees. This seasonal living space provides a central hub, linking indoor and outdoor experiences.
Floor-to-ceiling windows create transparency through the home, aligning views from the living room to the distant Tetons, while ten-foot roof overhangs carve out sheltered spaces on both sides of the house.
Material Palette: Steel, Cedar, and Concrete
The material palette is modern yet natural: varicolored cedar laid in an undulating pattern adds warmth and shadow play, contrasting with the weathering steel exterior designed to patina over time. Board-formed concrete, white plaster, and cedar ceilings continue inside, while architectural concrete floors infused with green glass add subtle texture.
The double-height kitchen, dining, and living area is the heart of the home, opening on both sides to natural light. A board-formed concrete fireplace wall, detailed with alternating recessed and projected boards, grounds the interior while echoing the rugged textures of the exterior.
Interiors: Casual Elegance with Artistic Detail
Inside, the architects collaborated with the clients to balance comfortable living with artistic expression. Engineered beech floors, painted millwork, and richly textured furnishings soften the home’s bold structure. Architectural lighting is integrated discreetly into the cedar ceilings, while decorative fixtures highlight key spaces with sculptural presence.
Even functional rooms become design statements: the powder room, for example, transforms into a dramatic trompe l’oeil tunnel, with arched mirrors reflecting brass inlaid railroad tracks for infinite effect.
Outdoor Living and Connection to the River
Outdoor living is central to the Riverbend Residence. A ten-foot-wide deck runs the length of the north façade, rising to the second story at the east end. It serves multiple purposes: an outdoor kitchen with pizza oven, a dining terrace, entertaining space, and a circulation link tying the master suite to the living areas and meadow beyond. This integration blurs the lines between indoor luxury and natural immersion.
A Modern Art Piece in the Landscape
With its steel and cedar exterior, elevated design, and finely crafted interiors, the Riverbend Residence is more than a home — it is a modern art piece on the banks of the Snake River. Carney Logan Burke Architects demonstrate once again their mastery of balancing minimalist form, natural materiality, and site-specific design, creating a dwelling that both enhances and disappears into the Wyoming wilderness.
