PROJECT SPOTLIGHT: MARTIS CAMP
Martis Camp is Tahoe’s “premier luxury playground.” The 2,177-acre resort community is located in the pristine Martis Valley, which is nestled between North Lake Tahoe and historic Truckee, California.
More than a mile above sea level, this 4-season private community and retreat allows enjoyment of the best that the beautiful state of California has to offer. From majestic Sierra Nevada mountain views to towering Ponderosa pines and pristine sagebrush fields, Martis Camp has the perfect balance of tranquility and exhilaration.
Despite the 2008-10 crisis, Martis Camp was ranked by Barron’s magazine as Tahoe’s Best Place to Own a Second Home in 2011. Property sales of $35 million in 2009 made it the hottest real estate buy in the country during the worst economic times since the Depression. How was Martis Camp able to defy real estate gravity? A day in the Martis Camp life can provide some answers.
Martis Camp residents enjoy an incredible slate of recreational amenities including fine dining, a world-class spa, a top-notch fitness center, and a golf course designed by Tom Fazio. At the Martis Camp Family Barn, residents and guests can enjoy a show at the concert amphitheater, a game of hoops at the indoor basketball court, a night of food and fun at the bowling alley and old-fashioned soda fountain.
Recreation opportunities at Martis Camp abound thanks to a 3-acre fishing lake, a gorgeous tennis pavilion, outdoor lap and vitality pools, miles of hiking and mountain biking trails, and direct access to the Northstar Ski Resort.
Martis Camp was developed by DMB/Highlands Group, and its magnificent architectural design was conceived by the residential & commercial architectural firm of Swaback Partners. Maybe you’ve seen some of their other work: Glenwild in Park City, Silverleaf and Desert Highlands in Scottsdale, Mira Vista in Fort Worth, and Kukul’ula on Kaua’i. DMB Highlands has certainly demonstrated an unprecedented ability to create luxury resorts that celebrate nature while providing an enduring sense of community.
What is unique about Martis Camp, however, is the progressive approach with which DMB Highlands designed the community. Their goal was to break away from traditional Tahoe style in order to foster freedom of architectural expression to explore unique and diverse designs. As architect Greg Faulkner told Western Art & Architecture, “The cool thing about the developers is that they made it more about the design and not the guidelines.”
It was appropriate, then, that DMB Highlands and Swaback Partners enlisted Hammerton to create the signature lighting for Martis Camp. Led by co-founder Levi Wilson, the Hammerton team designed and fabricated a broad collection of fixtures that, like the surrounding architecture, evoke a timeless yet relevant redefinition of the traditional Tahoe style. See how Hammerton brought this aesthetic to life in the photo gallery below.
