We have been blessed with a handful of rewarding and challenging projects over the last year and frankly, these have take priority rather than frequent blog posting. There are a number of projects in various stages of the process - initial design, permitting, and construction
The Power of Three (it’s a magic number...)
Threeness
With apologies to Schoolhouse Rock and De La Soul, what exactly is it about the number three, at least in the world of architecture and design, that makes it so ubiquitous and appealing? I’m not going to dive into the Holy Trinity or discourse about mind, body and soul, but it is so often true that a grouping of three is so often more compatible, more satisfying than two or four.
Boulder County's Site Plan Review Process
The Hidden Trials of Boulder County’s Site Plan Review
In the past 20 years, we have had a number of Site Plan Review submissions to the Boulder County Land Use Department. And while the codified standards for approval have changed little over this time, the interpretation of those same standards have signficantly shifted.
On stairs...
Modeling, old school
On the boards, Sept 2017
Project Updates , M. Gerwing Architects
Along with the projects under construction that we highlighted in the last post, we have a number of really interesting projects in various design phases.
The project image above is from an extensive remodel to a split-leve house in South Boulder. A number of different contractors are looking at the project and we hope to start construction in the next few weeks.
On the verge of submitting for building permits, we have two very different new single-family houses.
The first, below, is located on a steep mountainside just outside of the ski town of Breckinridge, Colorado. Angled against the surrounding topography, the house looks out across the valley to a panoramic view of the ski slopes and the Continental Divide.
A very different house, with a model image above, is being designed for a busy, corner location near downtown Boulder, Colorado within the Mapleton Hill Historic District. This project as gone through an extensive design review process with the city's Landmarks Board and is finally striking a strong balance between a contemporary expression and neighborhood compatibility.
A very different approach is being taken with a small, first-phase, design of a mountain house outside of Golden, Colorado. Designed for a young couple, the house is designed to be added on in the future, to expand as the family does and gradually take command of its dramatic site.
Finally, one of our most interesting projects is the design of a multi-generational house compound on a peach farm in Palisade, Colorado. The design envisions a larger house for the gathering of three sisters and their families along with a smaller cottage. Located alongside the main irrigation canal, the house ad cottage sits in an amazing bowl of space, a lush orchard surrounded by beautiful but harsh rocky mesas.
