Case Study: Ridge House

Set along a ridgeline amidst immersive mountain views, Ridge House is a family home that thoughtfully blends the old and new through the renovation of an existing 1960s structure.

The home’s original architect, Ellie Brickham, was the first female architect in Aspen, and the legacy of the building was worthy of thoughtful modernization. To accomplish this, the R+B team maintained a delicate balance throughout the design process by cleaning up unsystematic renovations and additions that had been implemented over the years, while also ensuring the home become thoroughly enjoyable for the thriving, contemporary client family.

The interior is oriented along a central defining spine, which encourages progression from public to private spaces. Carefully designed volumes with modern architecture and interspersed details, such as a wide range of furnishings, allow for a layering of history and a connection to the ranch-like character of the site. The existing wood-burning fireplaces throughout the home were revived and are an integral part of honoring Ellie Brickham’s design. Further, strong indoor-outdoor congruence is granted with large floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding doors throughout the home.

Additional goals for the home included utilizing new materials that would, like the original structure, patina and improve with age, creating a strong indoor-outdoor connection, connecting the home to its remarkable mountain views, creating fluid spaces that have visual and/or actual connections to other spaces within the house while remaining distinct; and establishing sites within the home for treasured art objects.