Skylab Architecture

Humbird, Schweitzer’s new destination hotel, represents the next evolution in mountain architecture: familiar forms reimagined through a composition of precision-fabricated natural materials for a 21st century solution. Located 1.5 hours northeast of Spokane and set within the Rockies of Northern Idaho at the nexus of two distinct ranges, the Selkirk and Cabinet Mountains, the location offers ready access to year-round recreation opportunities.

Working with Schweitzer to develop a masterplan for future development, including the hotel and support facilities, Humbird begins the transformation that will redefine the mountain experience. Leveraging the properties of mass timber construction—beauty, sustainability, and structural efficiency—the complex will bring together tradition and innovative materials in a contemporary, future-forward expression.

The 31-unit, 66,580-square-foot hotel will be a ski-in, ski-out hotel that will provide on-slope accommodations as well as hospitality and support services to reframe Schweitzer as a year-round destination. Anchoring the Schweitzer village, the bar-shaped hotel will take advantage of the steep site by nestling into a notch cut into the slope, creating space for a covered parking garage. The hotel’s exterior will be shaped by board-formed concrete, exposed wood structure, metal panels, and large expanses of glass. Primary gathering spaces will feature exposed cross-laminated timber (CLT), including ceiling planes and glulam beams and columns to evoke a familiar lodge-like aesthetic.

The lobby and welcome area are situated atop the below-ground parking area. Once inside, the interiors will take inspiration from classic ski equipment and fashion, including the bright ski suits of the late 20th century. Guest rooms will be arranged over three floors offering views of nearby Lake Pend Oreille. Bracketing the hotel are two amenity areas, the Glass Room—the hotel’s family/living area and a place for guests to relax and play games—and on the opposite end of the building, the Crow’s Bench—the hotel's signature 50-seat restaurant—where guests will be able make the most of après-ski or -bike, or take advantage of the adjacent 15-seat bar and lounge areas, which cozies up to a grand fireplace. Other amenities include an indoor retreat/co-working space, and a small fitness facility. A third floor outdoor terrace will feature an oversized hot tub affording views of the surrounding mountain landscape and Lake Pend Oreille below.

Skylab Design Team:
Jeff Kovel (Design Director)
Brent Grubb (Principal-In-Charge)
Jamin Aasum (Project Director)
Jill Asselineau and Kyle Rodrigues (Project Architect)
Vaughan Reynolds (Architect)
Sabrina Cheung, Jacob Semler, and Benjamin Halpern (Designer)
Marian Jones (Architect)
Amy Devall, Katherine Park, and Janell Widmer (Interior Designer)

Humbird Project Team:
Architecture: Skylab
Interiors: Skylab
Landscape Architects: THK Associates
Contractor: Jackson Contractor Group
Acoustical Engineer: Listen Acoustics
ADA: Marx Okubo
Civil Engineer: James Sewell Associates; T.O. Engineers
Client: Schweitzer Mountain Resort
Code: Code Unlimited
Cost: DCW Cost
Creative Agency: Little Hands of Stone
Electrical Engineer: Interface Engineering
Envelope: RWDI
Geo Technical Engineer: ALLWEST; Budinger & Associates; GeoEngineers
Graphic Design: Pact
Kitchen Design: Gilkey Restaurant Consulting Group; Seattle Restaurants
Lighting: Interface
Mechanical Engineer: Interface Engineering
Owners Representative: OAC
Specification Writer: JLC Architecture Consulting PC
Structural Engineer: DCI

Renderings: Skylab