Project Tours With the Team

After our restoration of a historic building on Main Street in Aspen, CO, the Mesa Store became our new studio home for the Aspen team. Excited to be in our new space, we opened it up to celebrate with our closest clients, partners, friends, and family. Our Denver team made the trip and joined in on the celebration. We are so grateful to be in a supportive, creative community!

Mesa Store: For some of our Denver team, this was their first introduction to the Mesa Store. Historically, this building is an iconic Old West structure built in 1889. Originally used as a general store, then a bakery, with a shopkeeper residence above, the significant features of the lap-wood-sided structure include a two-story, false-front façade with large storefront windows at street level, double-hung windows along the upper floor, and a hidden gable roof beyond. The signature covered front was originally designed to protect a typical western wood boardwalk.

With the Denver team in town, we spent a half-day touring several of our project sites – in and nearby the Aspen core.

W Aspen: We stopped by for an exclusive tour of the architectural and interior design rooted in Aspen’s rich history. The architectural design for the project is reminiscent of the modern chalet form, including long sloping rooflines, that was prevalent in Aspen when skiing was first introduced. We were able to view the public spaces; over-size split level living room-lobby and roof deck with a rooftop bar and pool (with epic views overlooking Aspen Mountain); a few of the 88 guest rooms and 11 W-branded fractional residences; and the mining-inspired corridors before its opening this summer.

Foster Lot 2: At the base of Shadow Mountain, a dramatic, rocky outcropping on Aspen Mountain’s west flank, this three-story, 4,672 square foot family vacation home is largely influenced by its surroundings. With the architects giving us our own descriptive tour, we were able to dig into the details of its inspiration and purpose. Sitting atop a stucco base, an asymmetrical metal clad gable form on the top level takes its form from, and reflects the pitch of, the neighboring mountain peak. While the architecture features a singular neutral palette, the interior palette graduates level by level, from purple to blue to green, which connotes the forest outside. Design goals include creating dynamic visual connection to the surrounding forest through a large skylight in the upper level gable. An expansive window wall furthers the connection via views of Shadow Mountain. Sliding doors to an exterior terrace encourage a strong indoor-outdoor connection and lifestyle year-round.

Ridge House: We had the pleasure of stepping foot inside the Colorado Homes & Lifestyles 2019 Home of the Year with a personal tour from those who designed every inch. Set along a ridgeline with significant mountain views, Ridge House is a thoughtful blending of old and new. Sets of staggered, remnant stone walls run in a single direction, allowing light and landscape to slip past. Oriented along a central defining spine, metal walls meet stone and evolve into glass as movement through the house progresses from public to private spaces. Modern architecture mixed with curated details allows for a layering of history and a connection to the ranch-like character of the site. We also crossed by the outdoor pool to get an inside look at Barn Studio, an add-on to an existing structure on the property, which R+B restored and renovated. This project aimed to embrace the heritage of both the overall ranch and the existing structure and led the team to focus on blending old and new elements, including a singular organic shape and formidable stone exteriors, while updating it with contemporary finishes and furnishings.

Meadow House: On the same property as Ridge House sits an additional home that is still under construction. Part of a family compound, the home is positioned at the edge of a meadow, amid existing evergreens, spruce and gambel oak trees. With the goal of integrating the home on the site as seamlessly as possible, the team designed an iconic, gabled house form that gradually “peels up” from a traditional symmetrical front to an open back that transitions into the landscape and focuses on the views. Indoor spaces are light filled, with a balance of outdoor connections. The public spaces are curated and crafted for their intended use while maintaining an open floor plan. Outdoor living spaces are designed to both maximize mountain and meadow views and provide easy transitions between the interior and exterior. Exterior materials were influenced by the organic palette of the surroundings.

At least twice a year, we gather to get to know each other, and our projects, even better. This is so important to our culture and our overall success. Our common ‘cultural thread’ is a collaborative process which requires building relationships with colleagues to continue our commitment of impacting place through excellence of design. We can’t wait for the next fun event!