Caju House in Wyoming Balances Modern Simplicity with a Raw Corten Steel Exterior

Tucked at the edge of the Teton Village forest in Wyoming, the Caju House is a bold yet restrained response to the rugged landscape. Named after the Brazilian fruit caju, whose rich orange skin inspired the home’s weathered steel exterior, this residence was designed for a Miami-based family seeking a serene escape rooted in simplicity and material honesty.

Architecture firm McLean Quinlan crafted a house that balances modest scale with high functionality, while carefully preserving the site’s topography and mature trees. The elevated structure lightly hovers above the sloping forest floor, supported by slim columns that reduce the building’s footprint and visual impact.

The defining element of the design is the façade: a living skin of Corten steel that rusts over time, developing a deep patina that blends beautifully into the surrounding woodland. Paired with vertical timber slats and exposed larch recesses, the façade takes on a layered appearance—sculptural and textural, yet warm and grounded.

The upper level holds the home’s main social spaces and bedrooms, oriented to maximize light and sweeping views of the Snake River Valley. A floating stainless steel staircase with perforated steps becomes a key architectural gesture—functional yet sculptural—while filtering light between floors.

Outdoor decks wrap around existing trees, integrating the home with nature rather than altering it. Every move in the project is grounded in restraint: no superfluous lines, no ornamentation—just an honest dialogue between architecture, landscape, and material. Caju stands as a refined example of how minimalism and regional sensitivity can coexist in modern residential design.

Photography courtesy of CLB Architects

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