Over the past few years, I have designed a number of renovations and additions to houses in South Boulder, in the Table Mesa and Martin Acres neighborhoods. These original houses were built in the 1960s during Boulder’s great residential building boom. Over the course of about a decade and a half, thousands of generic builder houses were erected in South Boulder, the vast majority following the pattern of only a few simple styles. By far the most were ranch-style houses - single story, three bedroom houses, some with garages, some with walk-out basements on sloping lots. The next most common types are split-levels and tri-levels.

Throughout South Boulder, there are amazing views of the beautiful Flatirons to the immediate west. Sometimes these views reveal themselves only at roof level, so often out work involves adding a second story.

Much of our work on these type of houses involves adding master bedroom suites and family rooms, mudrooms and bathrooms. But most significantly, our main task is to take that generic house and re-tune it to its site and landscape.

I really enjoy the careful studies of the site, the marking of sunrises and sunsets, the recording of the prevailing winds, the relative privacy of the street. Unlike more rural sites, there are significant limitations imposed by zoning regulations, the proximity of neighbors, and the sizes of the building lots.

Along with reorienting the house toward the views and sunlight, most of our work also involves re-ordering the interior of the house. The stark separation of kitchen spaces from living and dining spaces that are pervasive in these 1960s houses are usually opened up to allow for these spaces to flow together, including outdoor living spaces.

Every year we work on a number of new houses, some on these restrictive suburban sites, many in stunning mountainous landscapes. Those projects allow for a greater degree of expression, but as many architects and artists will admit, it is the imposition of restrictions that often results in the most creative solutions.

These projects are a struggle and each house, with its unique views and orientation, and each family, with their own hopes and dreams, present great challenges and opportunities. We may not have the free hand of an expansive, empty building lot, but disciplined imposed on the project makes for great solutions.

copyright 2020 Mark Gerwing, M. Gerwing Architects, all rights reserved