modern ranch
Bluegreen partnered with the client, architect, and general contractor on this unique residence located on a 90-acre parcel of land possessing spectacular views of the Elk Mountain Range and located within one of the Roaring Fork Valley’s historic ranch homesteads. The parcel’s features include undulating topography on an upper valley bench, cultivated hayfields, and stands of mature cottonwoods and willows along historic irrigation ditches. The challenge for the team was to create a modern residence with the feel and practice of the site’s historical agricultural use preserved. A considerable amount of time and research was dedicated to understanding the ecological and historic roots of the property and the existing processes that are at work. The design embraces the pastoral expanse of the parcel with calmness and order, and includes opportunities for continued agricultural practices. Simplicity is secondary only to the kinetic energy and dynamic qualities of the client’s family and landscape, which are accommodated in a pond, play court, pool, spa, outdoor fireplace, and terraces. The proposed landscape successfully balances modern architectural solutions with nature, and warmth with soft modernism. A palette of native plants, including grasses, honors the authenticity of place and creates a dialogue between the residence and the greater landscape.
project type: site planning, landscape architecture
location: pitkin county, colorado
client: withheld by request