Prospect House

Aspen, Colorado

Weaving together family and wilderness

Prospect House captures the spirit of its dramatic mountainside setting. Resting upon a small topographical bench and adjacent to the White River National Forest, the three-quarter acre property falls within a distinct ecosystem characterized by dry and hot south and west-facing slopes covered with forests and intervening meadow ecosystems that offer important forage and cover for wildlife habitat. This critical ecosystem serves as the foundation for the garden’s restorative approach, allowing the foreground to visually dissolve into its greater landscape.

From the street, guests are led through a meandering passage of native grasses into a high alpine meadow, designed to reduce water consumption by 40% as compared to traditional bluegrass. The home – a simple L-shaped, contemporary structure – allows all rooms to enjoy access and views to a foreground terrace and to distant views. Set just below the finished floor of the home, the family terrace integrates the primary outdoor gathering functions near the home without becoming an element of the view. Subtlety integrated along the breakfast terrace, a native grass vegetated swale captures, cleanses, and infiltrates runoff from impervious surfaces before it reaches the slope, reinforcing the client’s commitment towards environmental stewardship.

Services Provided: Site Analysis, Master Planning, Zoning & Land Use Approvals, Site Planning, Conceptual Design, Schematic Design, Design Development, Construction Documents, Permitting, Bidding/Negotiations, Construction Observation, Grading & Drainage Plans, Landscape Architecture, Lighting Design