This project, located in the Sierra Mountains, faced extraordinary climatic conditions that posed a series of interesting design challenges.  The region is known for its alpine climate, but also enjoys a substantial number of sunny days, even during the winter months.  In order to make best use of the sunshine, the South façade and roof line are designed to work in concert with a retractable canopy to maximize passive solar heating in the winter while providing shade in the summer.  The roof is then angled in such a way as to safely shed snow loads while collecting as much sunlight as possible on the solar panels mounted there, which in turn power a radiant heating system inside.  Ultimately, the design turns difficult environmental conditions into an environmentally responsible energy source.