Nowhere is the placement of windows more important than where they frame spectacular vistas. And some of the best are in Colorado ski country, the Rocky Mountains and, more specifically, Vail Valley.
Views were top of mind when architect Robert Ziegelman started envisioning this contemporary mansion in a gated community set next to United States Forest Service lands. But soon, his modern, glass-clad concept hit a snag.
The shape of the striking modern home, designed by architect Robert Ziegelman, was inspired by the surrounding mountains.
“There were two opposing forces. The community had restrictions on what was built. They only wanted chalet designs with windows that were limited in size,” he says. “I wanted as much glass as possible.”
So the architect proposed a blend of expanses of window and smaller framed panes. “That’s why the glass has all these divisions,” he says. In fact, the community liked the design so much that they adopted portions of it as part of the subdivision new building requirements.
Walls of windows in the dining room take in the surrounding scenery.
The surrounding mountains inspired the house’s peak shape, which is emphasized by massive gables. The corners of the three interconnected pavilions are held by a trio of columns. Ziegelman originally planned single larger pillars, but the subdivision requested a cluster for this structural element. “Like trees are holding it up,” he says. The idea worked.
The use of locally source stone, including some dug from the site, also helps the residence blend with the natural landscape.
The initial pavilion contains a heated garage and extensive guest quarters. The main one is living space. And the third is the primary bedroom suite with its own kitchen and dining area.
At the heart of the main pavilion is a giant half-circle fireplace. The other half of the circle is the core of the central stairway. Decks protrude from the second floor.
The home, which won an award from the American Institute of Architects, has 10,250 square feet of living space.
The roof is placed at a 15-degree twist from the floorplan, making all the balconies triangular in shape. “That’s why you get all the angles” Ziegelman says, likening the 10,250 square feet of open plan space to a Frank Gehry design. “There are no 90-degree corners. The shape and space become quite sculptural.”
Priced at $14.995 million, 56 Rose Crown, Avon, Colorado, was built in 2000 and contains six bedrooms, four full bathrooms, three three-quarter bathrooms and two powder rooms.
The American Institute of Architects award-winning home retains a special spot in Ziegelman’s portfolio: “It’s my favorite house I’ve ever done.”
Catherine Jones Coburn of Slifer Smith & Frampton Real Estate is the listing agent.
