Our Role in the Project

The Avery County Mountain Retreat was a fun project for us here at Areté Engineers; providing structural plans for a home from the ground up. Steel and timber design was our main focus for this project and for good reason. Perched on the side of a mountain where elevations reach 5,000 feet, this 7,798 square foot mountain get-away was no small undertaking to support. The cast in place concrete foundations support numerous steel I-beams that make up the floor systems for both the primary and guesthouse. The home will feature an open floor plan, utilizing open web floor trusses to achieve 30- foot spans. A rockery style retaining wall is to be incorporated into the south facing side of the site, which will support a patio area above, also giving the home a rustic and aesthetically pleasing look. Utilizing a combination of concrete, steel, and conventional timber framing, the Retreat was designed to last and to provide a comfortable yet dependable mountain homestead in the high country.