Sustainability with a Sense of Place

Set against the rust-colored cliffs of Zion National Park, Red Cliffs Lodge was reimagined with a single intent: to create an immersive guest experience that honors its environment without imitating it. The 2024 renovation, led by Atwater Inc Studio, merges luxury hospitality with organic design—inviting the outdoors in while preserving a sense of calm retreat. The architecture does what great hospitality design should: it evokes emotion, tells a story, and leaves room for the land to speak.

Materials that Belong

Every material choice tells part of the story, and TerraMai’s wood surfaces are key to the narrative. Western Red Cedar Exterior Modular Panels offers a quiet, durable façade that mirrors the surrounding cliffs without competing with them. Naturally resilient and sustainably harvested, the cedar weathers beautifully over time, blending into the desert palette.

Inside, TerraMai panels and paneling introduce warmth, structure, and textural contrast. Reclaimed Redwood adds depth and richness, while Oak and Fir Modular Panels offer contemporary character with distinctive textures. These materials aren’t just beautiful—they’re intentionally selected for their performance, sustainability, and unique character.

Designed for the Guest Experience

Wood is present in nearly every space where guests gather—overhead in the slatted ceilings, grounding the lounge walls, and wrapping the main bar in natural texture. It creates a seamless flow between interior and exterior spaces, allowing the architecture to simultaneously provide sanctuary and frame the surrounding environment.

The presence of wood does more than elevate design – it enhances well-being. Natural wood interiors can lower stress, reduce blood pressure, and support mental clarity by connecting occupants to the calming effects of nature. The textures and tones of our sustainable wood create a welcoming environment that promotes relaxation and a sense of grounding – an ideal complement to the sweeping desert landscape just beyond the walls.

A Model for Modern Hospitality

For architects designing the next destination—whether nestled in nature or rising from the cityscape—Red Cliffs Lodge offers a model: sustainability doesn’t limit design; it deepens it. The use of sustainable wood here isn’t an afterthought or a checkbox. It’s foundational to the experience.

At Red Cliffs Lodge Zion, design and wellness are inextricably linked. Aligning with our belief that sustainable materials should do more than meet spec—they shape experience, carry story, and age with grace.

Materials Spotlight

Western Red Cedar, Exterior Modular Panels:
Naturally durable and regionally resonant, offering a clean silhouette and lasting performance.

Redwood Lost Coast Paneling, Weathered & Weathered White Tinted:
Rich in tone and history, adding depth and a sense of time to communal spaces.

Redwood Lost Coast Panels, Weathered:
The same inviting tone and depth of the Lost Coast Paneling, but in a modern Mini-Slat Modular Panel.

Mission Oak, Mini Slat Modular Panels:
A timeless interior surface—clean, warm, and versatile.

Fir Faux Sugi Ban®, Mini Slat Modular Panels:
The boldness of charred wood, reinterpreted with stability and sustainability in mind.

Project Gallery