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Dec 16, 2023

Art Of The Steel With Architect Tom Ward

Tom Ward has plenty of experience navigating both the wilderness and the concrete jungle. Born and raised in Wyoming, the architect spent his early professional years working in New York City. After a

Tom Ward has plenty of experience navigating both the wilderness and the concrete jungle. Born and raised in Wyoming, the architect spent his early professional years working in New York City.

After a decade, he decided he'd had enough. He headed west — back to Jackson — where he teamed up with Mitch Blake to launch their architecture firm, Ward + Blake, in 1996. "I could talk for hours about why I cam back to Wyoming, but this is the short version: It's a beautiful place," Ward says. "After spending 10 years in New York, I was ready to move on, but I didn't see myself moving to another city. Since I spent my formative years here, I decided to come back."

So when Ellen and Peter Safir began their hunt for the right person to marry their East Coast sensibility with the natural wonder of Wyoming into a luxurious, one-of-a-kind vacation home, Ward was the natural choice. "The family had been visiting for more than a decade — they're hardcore fly fishermen and wanted a vacation home they could use primarily in the fall and spring. They were hoping to forge this intuitive feeling of Wyoming into a 'Western' home, but 'Western' can mean a lot of different things to different people," Ward explains. "We had to interpret what that meant for them specifically."

The best projects allow the land to dictate design, and this was no exception. Ward notes that the Safirs already had a beautiful piece of prairielike property. "It has unencumbered views of the best of Jackson — and it's just as flat as a flounder — sweeping vistas, mountains, and a thoroughfare for lots of four-legged animals," he says. "It has this whole inventory of great natural resources, and there wasn't a tree on it. You're looking at terrain that's an uninterrupted flat plain, and you have to respect the flatness with the scale of the building." With the flatness came the flexibility to modulate the building components without creating berms and trees. "We jogged spaces and building forms to enhance and block views."

Still the parcel came with a few drawbacks, including a nearby road and neighbors. To keep the views pristine, Ward opted to rotate the one-story house and focus the axis on the Tetons. "The whole entry courtyard was formed four feet below grade," he says.

When it came to materials, Ward's clients were originally drawn to the usual suspects such as super-weathered barnwood that are often associated with architecture in the Tetons. Ward had other ideas. "I wanted to create a composition of buildings, knitted together with steel cladding — something curval," Ward says. "I thought it to be a really lean saddle bag — taut skin — not a whole lot to do with barnwood but clad it in plates of steel instead." To their credit, he says his clients trusted him and went with it. "They both come from families very invested in modern art, so they really understood where this design could go. They humored me, nodded their heads, and crossed their fingers!"

The gamble paid off, both on the exterior and interior, where the metal shines inside the 7,500-square-foot home from the jump. Visitors are met with the full whammy of Wyoming — steel, wood beams, and stone flooring, along with incredible views — in the long, curving entry hall. "I'm partial to cruising down that hallway. There's a series of these tiny windows that create a rhythm as you walk down,' Ward says. The hallway takes people in and projects them out to the neighboring mountain range, and it's also a crossroads. To the west are the primary bedroom and public spaces, including the open and light-filled living room, kitchen, and dining area; to the east are additional bedrooms and a den. And everywhere, there's an abundance of natural light. Says Ward: "I'm adamant that even the hallways terminate into a window."

Once construction was complete, the Safirs layered in carefully curated artwork and furnishings that complement the architecture and landscape. They also set about enjoying the unique home they'd created. But as they began spending more holidays in the Cowboy State, they realized their current square footage wasn't going to cut it. That's when they turned to Ward to design a 1,000-square-foot guest house that would fit in perfectly with the scene. "Kids were getting married and having kids of their own, so they needed more room," Ward explains. Not only did the new structure provide a spot for little ones, it also improved the view. "We kind of knew where the guest house would be from the start," Ward says. "Where it's positioned, it screens the closest neighbor completely."

In Ward's estimation, a little patina and plenty of patience are what make the 8,500-square-foot compound truly special. "There's no finish on those steel plates. People always ask me what we used, and I tell them you can't get this effect chemically. We just cleaned the steel, got the grease and oil off, and let Mother Nature have at it," the architect says. "Out here, there's no industrial pollution, no acid rain. What happens is if you let the sun bake it, you'll get hundreds of colors, ranging from purple and mahogany to brown and orange. But it takes years."

When there are lots of windows framing dramatic Western landscapes, you can let scenery take the lead and let interiors play a supporting role. Maximize enjoyment of the views outside with uncomplicated comfort inside. The secret to harmony at the Safir Residence is staying close to the earth and nature in materials and design. Steel and stone, wood and leather set the scene. You don't have to have the Tetons rising majestically in the near distance to arrange your refined rustic spaces to invite the outside in. As a beautiful complement to furnishings that invite you to settle in and gaze awhile, try oversize artwork depicting the wild. And, of course, there's nothing like actually getting outside, lounging on the patio, and rejuvenating with Mother Nature.

[1] Denver Buffet (adobeinteriors.com) [2] Teec Nos Pos Navajo Pictorial Weaving by Master Weaver Elsie Bia (navajorug.com) [3] Architect Leather Sofa (hatcreek.us) [4] Cowhide Dining Chair/Counter Stool/Barstool (rusticartistry.com) [5] Navajo Pillow, Transitional: P 106 (navajorug.com) [6] Navajo Pillow, Transitional: P 103 (navajorug.com) [7] "Sunflower" Carved Bowl, by Anita Suazo (kinggalleries.com) [8] Large Pinstriped Hide Ottoman (jamieyoung.com) [9] Laguna Tan Leather Chair (runyonsfinefurniture.com) [10] Live-Edge Acacia Wood Trestle Farmhouse Dining Table (sierralivingconcepts.com) [11] Forester Floor Lamp (jamieyoung.com) [12 & 13] Wildlife Paintings, by David Frederick Riley (montanatrails.com).

For more information, visit wardblake.com.

This article appears in our July 2023 issue, which is available on newsstands and through our C&I Shop.