In May 2023, Black Butte Ranch in Sisters, Oregon, unveiled a new lodge that replaced the former 50-year-old one with a beautiful 27,000-square-foot facility that includes a restaurant and bar, second-floor lounge, fireside room, private dining room, large dressing room and meeting room, and a state-of-the-art kitchen with expanded catering services. The $20 million lodge was a cornerstone addition to the Lakeside area of Black Butte Ranch, opened just after the Lakeside Recreation Complex opened.

The Lodge at Black Butte Ranch allows more visitors to enjoy the 1,800 acres that feature sweeping views of the surrounding peaks, including Three Sisters, Mount Washington, Black Butte, Broken Top, Three Fingered Jack and Mount Jefferson.

© Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce

Hacker Architects, based in Portland, and Bend, Oregon, provided both the architecture and interior design. The building’s design reflects the aesthetic of the original ranch buildings, and elevates the experience of the surrounding landscape through careful framing of views, and a sensitive interpretation of regional materials and forms.

The exterior is covered in Shou Sugi Ban (charred cedar), a traditional wood treatment that maintains the weathered look of the previous building while providing additional durability and connection to the wildfires inherent to the region. This focus on local resources is visible in the landscape design, which uses drought-tolerant native plants, encouraging habitat creation and celebrating the stunning surrounding environment.

Interior spaces are clad in a palette of contrasting dark- and light-finished Douglas fir, slate and ceramic tiles, with fabrics inspired by woven Pendleton blankets. Open wood of the Lodge includes massive glue-laminated beams supported by large louvered screening elements, randomly spaced to blend with the nearby trunks of massive Ponderosa and Aspen trees surrounding the site.

A large central fireplace is constructed from stone, arranged in a pattern inspired by the flow of volcanic rock in Central Oregon. Most trees on site were preserved, with one large Ponderosa removed and harvested to provide the wood for the new restaurant, bar tables and benches within the spaces.

© Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce

Since 1970, this sweeping 1,900-acre destination resort has featured endless outdoor opportunities. The family-friendly property offers an array of lodging accommodations, two championship golf courses, putting course, five swimming pools, award-winning restaurants and a full-service spa. The location of Black Butte Ranch also has a fascinating history.