Fresh Start

When Aspen architects Sarah Broughton and John Rowland set out to design a contemporary spec house for a local developer, they thought they would completely scrap the worn 1960s chalet-style duplex to accommodate the new building that would take its place.

But then they reconsidered. The structure—a three-story duplex unit with a one-story guesthouse—and the down-valley vistas of Red Mountain and Castle Creek convinced them that some things should remain unchanged. “After getting familiar with the site, we realized that if we altered the footprint, we would lose some of the spectacular views,” Rowland says. 

The architects dreamed up a modern multi-level design with a connecting courtyard, all contained within the original building’s footprint. The new home’s point of entry is the courtyard, which leads into a window-lined, one-story structure that houses an art gallery and a private master bedroom suite. A short stairway opens to the three-level section of the house, which includes a great room on the mid level, bedrooms above, and a media room and guest quarters on the lower walk-out level. To read more about these incredible spaces, pick up the June/July issue of CH&L.