Nestled alongside the Roaring Fork River, this contemporary home seamlessly incorporates river views and exterior spaces into the interior design, and uses organic materials to create a tranquil escape.
WRITTEN BY Bek Mitchell-Kidd
ARCHITECT: Jamie Brewster McLeod
PHOTOGRAPHER: David Patterson
Nestled in Woody Creek Canyon on the Roaring Fork River, this 7,000-plus-square-foot home was designed to fit lightly on the land.
Architect Jamie Brewster McLeod says of the contemporary style home, “We took great care to be gentle to the property, repairing the riverbank due to erosion and moving the main house off the edge of the river as much as possible. Thus, we created a large green space between the river and the house.”
The design phase launched in 2006. The original clients had vested rights to build 25 feet off the river that were expiring at the end of that year; the updated zoning regulations increased the distance to 100 feet from the river. Construction was completed in 2015.
Building so close to the river, Jamie had to take into consideration rising ground water, saying, “We basically built a bathtub crawlspace foundation and developed a dewatering plan around the foundation.”
Upon arriving at the property, there is a small caretaking unit on the upper bench with views of the river and down toward the town of Basalt.
Since being on the river is a unique feature, all areas were considered important to showcase the water views as the river harmonizes around the property.
The current owner, who purchased the property last November, says, “I was inspired to purchase the property because of the interaction between the design of the home and the amazing setting in Woody Creek Canyon on the Roaring Fork River. The home pulls the beauty of the canyon and river into its main living areas. The decks pull you outside to the energy of the river.”
From the expansive entryway, you see straight through to the dining and living room, opening up the house directly to the outside and the river. The kitchen and breakfast nook are off to the right of the dining room with a hearth room at the end of the kitchen for a separate sitting area. To the left of the living room, you progress toward the office and primary suite, which intentionally have more of a private feeling.
To the left of the entryway is a large staircase that leads to the upper-level bedrooms; there is also a secondary access to the three-car garage. “We really focused on separating the two levels of the home,” explains Jamie. “One, so when the house was full, the homeowner didn’t feel like guests/family were living on top of them, but they had their own separate spaces. The guests/family, on the other hand, also had their own private space to escape to with their own views of the river.”
Jamie selected organic materials to blend with the “lighter” feeling of the river, saying, “Wood with glass walls were the focus of the design…keeping a sightline between the interior and exterior of the building. Small stone accents were used for grounding the building. Wood decks were used to extend the living space into the yard.”
The biophilic design incorporating the river views and the exterior spaces into the interior of the house was critical. Jamie notes, “Since our summer seasons are so short in the mountains, we wanted to make sure the house was always turning your attention to the beautiful and unique landscape of the river. When the weather turns colder, the outside is always a part of the interior space, even if you are not venturing outside. We wanted to make the architecture feel second to the natural environment, focusing on the harmony between the two.”
Currently, Jamie is working with the new owner to also design a new caretaker unit on the property that will complement the main house’s aesthetic. Jamie reflects, “I was back at the house for the first time since 2015, when we started working with the new owner. I was quickly reminded on how amazing the house felt…how the river and exterior space was felt from inside the house. The tall windows/doors bring in the natural light. It truly is a calming, relaxing, tranquil space to escape to.”
ABOUT THE ARCHITECT
Brewster McLeod Architects Inc. is an award-winning boutique architecture firm located in Aspen, Colorado specializing in luxury residential architecture. The firm’s focus is creating architecture as living art forms designed perfectly within their natural environments. The result is architecture set naturally within the landscape creating the setting for your custom creation.
Jamie, president of Brewster McLeod Architects, specializes in creating luxury residences in Aspen, Telluride, San Francisco and Montana.
Awarded a master’s in architecture from Montana State University-Bozeman in 1999, Jamie Brewster McLeod has attained a LEED Certification in the design of energy savings and renewable resources, incorporating the most effective green techniques, materials and strategies within the design phase.
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