Berglund Architects' Mountain Star Residence was published in the January / February "Mountain Modern Issue" of Mountain Living Magazine. A copy of the article is attached.
Mountain Star Mountain Living Magazine Article.pdfFor additional photos and information about the house go to Mountain Livings Magazine's website at
Mountain Living Magazine January / February 2010 "Montain Modern Issue"The article is shown on the home page as “Colorado Context”. If you click on the link to the article and then on the photo thumbnails, you can read more about the house, artwork and interior furnishings.
The home is a synergy of old world stone, richly patinaed copper siding, refined steel railings, exposed steel and wood structure and expansive window walls which coalesce into a sophisticated modern mountain retreat that is completely at home with its majestic mountain setting in the Vail Valley. These harmonious juxtapositions of organic and industrial materials infused with old world and local vernacular architecture create a casually elegant residence for the “New West”.
This “New West Architecture”, provides the perfect environment for a family who desired neither a minimalist glass box nor a rustic log filled lodge, but rather an organic modern retreat to comfortably house their family, showcase their contemporary art collection and eclectic mix of furnishings. Situated high on a mountainside basked in sunlight, the home blends into the landscape of the five acre site and captures the 270 degree mountain views. Berglund Architects teamed up with Slifer Designs, also of Edwards, Colorado, to collaborate on the home’s interior design. The design team also worked closely with Danny Aldez of R.A. Nelson Construction of Avon, Colorado and his team of local craftsmen to work out many of the home’s highly specialized design details.
The juxtaposition of the home’s large areas of uninterrupted walls on the interior of the old world massive stone walls and concentrated industrial sized windows not only create dramatic architectural expression, but perfectly suited the owners requirement for a large areas of uninterrupted wall space for art. A 28’ x 10’ sliding door system framed in patinaed exposed steel columns and beams in the living room complements a large acqua painting on the opposing wall of a swimmer called “On the Beach” by Richard Misrach as well as creates indoor outdoor living opportunities in the near perfect 80 degree summer climate.
From the guest’s arrival at the auto court, a curved steel trellis leads guests through a stone entry portal to a set of walnut and steel doors set in a glass wall. As one passes through the front doors into the entry foyer, instead of the typical mountain view, you experience a dramatic gallery space created by a freestanding art wall, which divides the entry and gallery from the living room. This steel column supported art wall provides an elegant loft like element and serves as a highly functional display space for a series of paintings, drawings, lithographs and photos by Lucien Frued, Isca Greenfield-Sanders, Caio Fonseca and Lucian Frued. The contemporary art wall is elegantly contrasted by the organic stone wall of the living room’s sculptural fireplace that creates a dramatic stone portal to the stair tower.
The stair tower provides additional gallery space for a collection of authentic Native American baskets which can be experienced on multi levels via a stair of massive wood slabs of walnut with a refined steel handrail system all floating above slightly industrial steel stingers. Other notable art pieces include paintings by Squeak Carnwath in the dining room, a sculpture by Dan Cordin in the entry niche of the master bedroom.
The essence of this organic industrial hybrid design occurs throughout the rest of the home through such elements as exposed steel beams supporting refined wire brushed oak beams and wood ceilings; the heavy timber porches and decks with their refined metal railings and slightly industrial steel connectors; and the modern Bulthaup kitchen with a massive walnut island bar top and anodized aluminum kitchen cabinets. Other notable interior design elements include a teak wall panel system with aluminum reveals at the master bedroom wall, the custom-designed L.E.D. back-lit powder room mirror suspended in front of Maya Romanoff mother of pearl wall tiles and a floating master vanity.
The design incorporated a super insulated roof construction, in-floor radiant heat and high efficiency mechanical equipment. In addition, a combination of large overhangs at the south and west windows, motorized solar shades, and high performance low-E glazing which virtually eliminates damaging UV light and significantly reduces both summer heat gain and winter heat loss, all help to create a more comfortable and energy efficient interior environment suitable for a noteworthy art collection. The use of local materials, highly durable low maintenance exterior materials, low maintenance stone and wood flooring, low VOC paints and sealers and plaster walls all contributed to creating a sustainable and long lasting home.
Furnishings were selected by Slifer Designs and include notable designers such as Donghea, Nancy Corzine, Christian Liagre for Holly Hunt, Tucker Robbins, Hudson Furniture, Ralph Lauren Home, Oly Studio and Ann Gish. The design team used the color and material of many of the owners’ existing art and furniture pieces to set the interior palette.
The outdoor living space is primarily focused around the covered outdoor barbeque and sitting area which overlook the pool and around the terrace which flows out from the large living room doors. The highly natural landscape design by landscape architect Scott Sones of Sones Mac of Silverthorne, Colorado, further connects the family and house to the beautiful mountain setting.
Enclosed is a link to a YouTube video we created on the Fairway Drive Home we designed in Vail, CO. http://youtu.be/ZAcKd-XTD7A This mountain modern duplex home is composed of a series of curved and low slope shed roofs supported by stone walls and an exposed steel and timber frame structure. The play of the stone and stepping roof forms break down the scale of the home and integrates the house into site. The curved roofs open up towards the views and light while the large overhangs shelter the house from the summer sun and significant winter snow. Large steel window walls and sliding door systems provide near transparency and strong indoor-outdoor connections. Super insulated pre manufactured curved and flat SIP (structural insulated foam panels) was utilized in the roof while recycled cellulose insulation was used in the walls. The mix of refined natural materials and clean detailing creates a sophisticated mountain retreat. The cleanly detailed exposed structural steel beams, steel stair stingers and steel connections utilized throughout the houses are a primary part of the aesthetic of the home creating a dynamic environment which is at once minimalist and richly detailed. The industrial essence of the steel is counterbalanced by an organic larch wood floor, massive Doug Fir stair slabs and figured walnut paneling and cabinetry used throughout the house.
