Set in the historic mining district of Aspen, Colorado, this project is a renovation and detached addition to a 19th century Victorian-era home. Our clients, music aficionados, wanted a light-filled recital space in which to host music performances. But in a dense neighborhood with exposures to the southwest, the site did not allow for traditional windows without compromising privacy and sun control.
So, to create a light-filled space that would provide year-round privacy and heat mitigation during summer months, we designed a custom aluminum façade perforated in a way that introduced dappled light into the space while guaranteeing our clients privacy and sun control.
We designed the perforations as an interpretation of the patterns made by the sheet music of one of our client’s favorite compositions: Chopin’s Nocturne in E-Flat Major, Op. 9, No. 2.
The aluminum skin covers the roof and walls. Bent with four-inch exposures, the surface articulations create a contemporary interpretation of the clapboard-clad buildings that have been so central a part of Aspen’s architectural history, including on the adjacent Victorian-era home.
From inside, dappled light illuminates the space in a constantly evolving melody as the sun moves throughout the sky. And from outside, at night, the façade becomes a lantern inspired by a timeless melody with a pattern of light referencing Chopin’s score.
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