OLD TOWN AREA

Stretching out across a single lot at the top of Clubhouse Drive sits a linear home set back to take full advantage of vistas of Sleeping Giant, Rocky Peak, Howelsen Hill and South Valley Views. While its traditional forms and materials reference the casual and rustic heritage of Steamboat’s past, the massing is decidedly contemporary and the detailing provides a fresh interpretation of modern living.

With over 50 combined years of experience, Hans and Jeff have connected with clients in a myriad of ways…this was one of the more interesting. While at Freshies for their weekly planning meeting, Kim and Jeanne noticed Hans’ Prius with the Gerber Berend logo and immediately felt connected as it was the spitting image of their same car. As it turns out, that small connection was just the tip of the iceberg. From that moment on, the client and Design Build team got along famously and enjoyed every moment of creative collaboration! Kim and Jeanne had a sophisticated understanding of their preferred design aesthetic, were able to effectively communicate this vision and gave us the freedom to explore and add value through our design build process, meticulous detailing, and building science expertise. Throughout the process they trusted us to guide them while also respecting and staying true to their vision for Steamboat living.

The exterior is extremely maintenance free with stone and unfinished reclaimed barn wood, chosen for its low-maintenance sustainability. Rusted metal panels are used to feature more contemporary massing and provide a casual but contemporary accent with a natural patina that improves with age. These materials are paired with traditional timber joinery throughout the public spaces, which gives the entrance to the home and main living spaces an old-world feel.

The inside exemplifies how contemporary and traditional come together. In the great room, scissor trusses are constructed using traditional timber joinery with mortise and tenon joints and oak pegs juxtaposed with large glass expanses and contemporary detailing. Traditional punched window openings with divided window lites have modern reveals, cleanly wrapped drywall trim and are set against steel jammed liners that frame the main level cased openings. The fireplace mass accentuates the vertical nature of the great room with traditional stone veneer but features a modern fireplace and segmented metal flue cover. Steel panels with a specialty patina finish and reclaimed rustic mixed oak flooring reference the exterior accents and provide an earthy and warm backdrop for the contrasting detailing. Special attention was given to the detailing of features that walk this delicate line between the past and present. The stair is a perfect example. Heavy timber treads were scribed onto steel “C” channel stringers with flush routed steel supports. The riser was expressed with a mining screen reclaimed from a Utah mine providing the comfortable feeling of a closed riser while allowing transparency and shared light from above. The overall effect is comfortable and familiar but altogether new where two ideas play off each other. This is especially evident within the traditionally configured Master Suite where contemporary zebra wood is featured on flush, floating bath vanity with accent lighting on a motion sensor for night time use.

Embracing the latest Building Information Modeling (BIM) techniques, we were able to map and orchestrate potential future views from each of the proposed view corridors. Through this technique, we perfectly captured views of the South Valley, Howelsen Hill, Sleeping Giant, and Rocky Peak. Each space has unique framed views including the covered, timber framed outside spaces. Allowing the floor plan of the home to conform to its wedge shaped lot, views corridors were widened where dynamic outside spaces reach out to the valley below.

Above all, this home wanted to respond to the very social, entertainment lifestyle of two very fun owners, “The Cowgirls.” Responding to this, the home is configured with a primary traditional great room volume, a secondary traditional master suite volume, and free-form transitional space between under contemporary shed roofs creating a well defined separation between public and private space. For entertaining, we created open flow between inside and outside public spaces through two large bi-part sliding exterior doors. A semi-private outside covered space with a fire pit exists in the space between public and private volumes and is connected to the semi-private den through continuous glass and an exterior swinging door. While interconnected with a great party flow, each space is uniquely defined for different size gatherings. There are spaces inside and out for four people to gather intimately or 8, 10, or 12 people to be comfortable. Inside there’s a bar tucked away, the ‘Cowgirl Bar,’ that feels very private but is part of a larger open space. In the main living area there is opportunity for larger seating to accommodate the main flow of the party but by the kitchen occupies a more intimate volume under the transitional shed space.

The same public/private flow translates to the lower level where two guest suites are separated by a public living space and a transitional exercise room. You arrive into the main public living space with the same views of the south valley while each private bedroom suite has directed views of the South valley or Howelsen Hill.

Just as we sweated the details of the cleanly executed interior, we paid close attention to the critical building science details that determine its year-round performance. Generous overhangs and porch roofs protect it from the harsh Summer sun to the West while staggered and cross-vented nailbase insulation panels provide continuous insulation, staving off thermal bridging and potential ice dams from winter freeze thaw cycles. Closed cell polyurethane spray foam insulation creates a tight air seal and further increases the level of thermal performance. With such a tight thermal envelope, air quality is controlled through a whole house energy recovery ventilator (ERV). After just one winter, it was easy to tell that this house performs beautifully retaining a full blanket of winter snow while managing melting snow throughout the freeze thaw cycles of spring. From start to finish this house was a true collaboration of client and Design Build Team showcasing our love for old-world craftsmanship and highlighting our excitement for new-world high performance detailing and connected, contemporary living. This home is well suited for a couple of hip, current “Cowgirls” who aren’t afraid to explore the balance of past and present!