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Wild on the outside, cozy on the inside. That’s the logical and altogether genius concept that AD 100 firm Olson Kundig conceived for Telluride’s new five-star lodgings, the area’s first in 15 years.

Putting roots down in Mountain Village, 800 feet above Telluride, the new $1 billion Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences—projected to open in late 2027—is the resort region’s biggest hotel/residential development to date. “The mountains are such a peaceful meditative place,” says Tom Kundig, Principal/Owner and Founder of Seattle-based Olson Kundig. “Or they can be challenging and even threatening. We wanted to celebrate the best of both worlds.”

Untamed views of rugged snow-dusted peaks are framed through floor-to-ceiling windows. Watching snow gently fall or a blizzard rage, residents can hunker down next to handsome fireplaces of stacked Colorado stone. A quiet palette of cream, tan and ecru surrounds. Finishes are of cedar, fir and pine.

Indoors and outdoors effortlessly merge. “Opening it all up in summer, you feel like you’re breathing in the landscape,” Kundig says. And for five-star lifestyles? The residences are united with the venerable Four Seasons brand. Life’s vexing logistics vanish while staying or living at a Four Seasons. Alongside restaurants and retail, just some of the top-notch offerings at Telluride include ski valets, private chefs, masseurs, pet groomers, concierges and wellness programs.

The modernist retreat’s three interconnected buildings will house 52 hotel rooms, 40 hotel residences and 28 private residences, ranging from one to five bedrooms and topping out at 6,422 square feet (597 square meters). Six residential penthouses top the buildings. Residential units are priced from $4 million to $40 million. “Combined with the Four Seasons brand, the high-end design and the views, there isn’t another ski town in North America that has all this,” says Brian O’Neill, Director of Telluride Properties, who holds the listing.

Olson Kundig is joined by a second AD 100 firm, Los Angeles-based Clements Design, whose vision mirrors the textural feel of wood, stone and metal mastered by the architects. Textiles are all about comfort. “Every fabric is soft to the touch,” says Kathleen Clements, who founded her firm in 2002. Tommy Clements joined in 2009.

The interior look supports but never competes with the magnificence of 14,000-foot peaks framed by glass. Indeed, why would mere mortals attempt to parry with such Olympian views?

“We definitely leaned into a comfortable vibe,” says Tommy Clements. “We veered away from typical alpine themes. This is a lighter, warmer look with substantial shearling and fine wool.” Kitchens include custom cabinetry and millwork, and bathrooms feature sculptural freestanding tubs, heated floors and steam showers.

The buzz in the design world: the project is unprecedented for a ski resort, given that it has attracted two AD 100 firms.

Entering the complex, homeowners and guests are greeted by a pavilion surrounded by aspen forest. The four-acre grounds are people-sized, lending a walkable feel: pedestrian bridges, plazas, and green spaces integrate with the vernacular of Mountain Village. “It all feels very much like home,” says Kirsten Ring Murray, an owner and Principal of Olson Kundig. “You immediately get the sense of being in a place of refuge.”

Steps from the Four Seasons, a gondola awaits. You might do a double take. Thirteen minutes later, the descent into Telluride feels more like the Alps than a North American ski destination. “I lived in the Swiss Alps,” says Kundig. “I spent my time skiing and climbing there. This is the closest thing to the European Alps in the United States that I know of.”

Lined with fetching Victorian homes and vintage brick stores, Telluride was named a national historic landmark in 1961. Winter excels with the area’s 150 ski runs sited on 2,000 acres. Spring, summer and autumn spark to life with art, music and film festivals. The Telluride Bluegrass Festival is considered the most respected in the country, “if not the world,” says O’Neill.

In spring and summer, wildflowers blanket the surrounding San Juan Mountains. The vivid landscape backdrops hiking, biking, golf, tennis, trout fishing and white water rafting.

And when back inside viewing that winter weather, breathe easy. The hotel and private residences will be the first in North America to include oxygenation systems in all rooms, helping to lower the altitude for a deeper sleep and higher energy levels.

Telluride Properties is a member of Forbes Global Properties, an invitation-only network of top-tier brokerages worldwide and the exclusive real estate partner of Forbes.